We Were Never Friends
by callmejharls
Summary: Piper goes on a double date with Larry, Polly and Pete... only to meet the mysterious Alex Vause. Will she leave with who she came with?
1. A Good Time To Say Hi

The day had been a long one. Alex was having trouble dealing with the annoying "great american public" today. If another fucking person asked what the show times are without reading the huge sign that lists all the movies and their times she might lose her cool. She had already snapped a few times at the ditzes that were her co-workers. They wouldn't shut up about their stupid youtube channels and how to do their highlights.

"Working with the wanna be valley girls again. Wanna blow my brains out. Wyd?" She typed a text addressed to someone named "Nikki" in her phone.

Two girls were lollygagging on the sidewalk just near the ticket booth. Probably waiting for someone. Boys, probably. Girls hardly ever went out stag together and looked that done up. Her phone buzzed.

"Lol thats shitty. Im currently stalking a pretty waitress. Remember that girl? On fri night?" The text read.

Alex laughed.

Nikki, Alex's roommate had hit it off with some loony redhead a couple of days ago when they went out for drinks.

"Oh nicks, ur never tossing that salad." She typed, and hit send. There was the sound of someone exaggeratingly clearing their throat but she was unaware of it. When she set her phone down and looked up see saw a goofy looking dude staring at her through the ticket window, she almost jumped out of her skin.

"Fuck… jesus man…" She swore and ran her hand through her dark hair, composing herself. She wasn't supposed to swear in front of customers. She turned on the mic and looked expectantly through the window.

The guy nervously stammered. "Oh uhm. Sorry, there, didn't mean to scare you."

 _Yeah, you're real scary._ Alex thought sarcastically.

She managed to put on a big bullshit smile and used her customer service voice. "No problem. What can I get for you guys?"

The guys seemed unsure. Probably his first date with the pretty little blonde by his side.

"Can we get, uh- two- wait- one…" He fumbled with his wallet and glanced at the girl. "I mean, lets get two..?" He looked at the girl as he said it. _Did he seriously not know if he was paying for her ticket or not?_

"For which show?" Alex asked in a flat voice.

The blonde next to him stepped closer to speak into the windows mic, attempting to take over.

"I got it, Larry. Two for Transformers." She said, smiling at Alex, and handing her a twenty.

Larry looked upset, but at the same time relieved.

Alex almost laughed, she didn't know people were still named Larry. She also thought it was funny that they were seeing Transformers 2… the shittiest movie out. Something told her the film was Larry's choice. She managed to hand the girl her tickets without laughing, but a smirk was plain as day on her face, and it threatened to crack into a full blown grin. The girl noticed, and giggled, "We don't get out much." Alex thought her laugh was one of the cutest she had ever heard. She handed the girl the tickets and didn't look at Larry.

"Are you guys done? Jesus, we can't go anywhere with you these days. It's Chili's all over again. Remember, babe?" Said the guy behind them, obviously their friend. He turned to his girl when he asked her the question.

 _Hmm so not Larry's first date with the girl…_

"Takes us ten minutes longer to do anything when we bring Piper and Larry."

 _Piper. Odd name. But it suits her._

He laughed, and they stepped up to the window, replacing the pretty girl and her stupid boyfriend.

It being a slow day, Alex was the only ticket window open. Her coworkers Martiza and Flaca weren't even aware they had customers.

Besides the blondes group, there were only four other customers. Midday shows were always like this. Alex looked down at her phone after helping the last of the small movie-going crowd.

" _She totally blew me off. Bitch said she's straight and was just really drunk on fri_ " Nikkis text read.

" _Typical._ " She typed. " _The best girls always claim they're hetero._ " For some odd reason she thought of the pretty blonde girl.

 _She came here with her boyfriend, Alex. Don't get stupid over that kind of chick we've already done that before,_ a voice in her head scolded her.

She sighed and slid away from the window seat, and said "I'm going for a smoke. Watch the window." As she passed the two girls, who were still giggling and talking, ignoring her.

She stopped at the exit. "Guys. I said watch the window." Her tone irritable now.

"Yeah, yeah okay." They muttered between "omg"s and "yas"es.

"Bitches." She said under her breath and kicked the door open.

"Piper, why do you always do this? Just go on the stupid date. I'm sure the last few times have been awkward because… well because Larry is- is jittery."

Polly and Piper were sitting in the hot car in the mall parking lot, and Polly was trying to convince an antsy Piper to follow through with the second double-date this week. She had been trying to set Larry and Piper up for a while now, and just to shut Polly up about it, Piper had complied and gone to Chili's with her and Pete and of course Larry, and it had been a flop to say the least.

"All he does is talk about his writing, and when he actually asks _me_ questions he sounds like he is trying to speak to a mentally handicapped person or a child." Huffed Piper, crossing her arms over her chest, like an angry kid.

"Well maybe he just doesn't know how smart you are yet... you've only been on one official date, Pipes. Plus we are seeing a movie, there isn't much talking involved." Polly finished her sentence while looking at her phone, checking the time no doubt.

"I hate Transformers. It's distructive the whole time. It's messy." Complained Piper further.

Polly looked at Piper, who was staring out the windshield stubbornly.

"Don't fuck this up for me. I'm trying to do a nice thing."

 _Like I need your help getting laid._ Piper thought.

"My hero." She said sarcastically, opening the car door reluctantly.

"That's the spirit." Polly countered, equally sarcastic.

"See he doesn't wanna do this again either." Pouted Piper as they waited on the sidewalk just outside the theater for the boys to show up.

"They're just late, Piper. Pete just texted me. They're on their way." She was doing that thing she does when she's trying to ignore the fact that Piper is upset, where she looks around like everything she sees is sooo interesting.

"Am I overdressed?" Asked Piper, and it got Polly's attention.

She looked at Piper with a super annoying and presumptuous facial expression.

"See? You care about how you look. _That_ must mean something." She says, shaking her finger at Piper.

"You didn't even answer my question." Sneered Piper. "And it doesn't 'mean' anything. I just don't wanna see myself in a reflection somewhere and hate myself." As she said this she faced the theater, seeing herself distantly in the theaters tinted glass doors. She wore a Urban Outfitters romper, with tan sandals and a loose jean jacket hung on one of her shoulders (it was too sweltering hot to wear it, but she always got chilly in the air conditioned auditoriums). Her hair was crimped and she wore more makeup than she usually did.

"Stop that, you look fine." Polly assured her when she caught Piper checking herself out.

"Oh! There they are…Now be good." She demanded absently, walking towards Pete.

Pete and Polly kissed, and Larry lagged behind Pete the same way that Piper was lagging behind Polly.

Piper put on a bullshit smile and waved at the bashful, unsure guy. He seemed reassured by this and walked forward. He was wearing a ridiculous sweater just like he had done on their Chili's date.

 _It's summer._ Thought Piper, confused. _Well, we can work on the wardrobe… along with other things._

"Hey Piper." He half waved at her even though they were standing right next to each other.

"Hi." She didn't say his name, it felt funny if she said it out loud too much.

Pete and Polly regrouped with them, both grinning, probably at the success of getting Piper and Larry together again.

"Shall we get tickets?" Asked Polly in a chipper voice. She already sounded like the type of mother that says things like "Everybody having fun?"

Piper and Larry approached the only ticket window that was open. A sulky looking girl with black hair and glasses was slightly visible through the shaded window. She was looking down at her phone, and was startled when Larry rudely cleared his throat.

"Fuck.. jesus man.." She cursed faintly, her voice muffled by the glass. She switched on the microphone so she could speak to them.

"Oh uhm. Sorry, there, didn't mean to scare you." Said Larry. _Yes you did you jerk,_ though Piper.

A forced smile appeared on her face unnaturally fast and she said, "No problem. What can I get for you guys?" She looked at Piper when she said 'you guys', which Piper thought was nice of her, even though Larry was the one who spoke first.

"Can we get, uh- two- wait- one…" He fumbled with his wallet and glanced at Piper as if looking for help. "I mean, let's get two..?" his voice cracked on the word 'two' and Piper tried not to laugh.

 _He sounds like he's having a stroke._

The girls fake smile faltered, "For which show?"

Not sure if Larry had forgotten which movie they were seeing or was having mental issues Piper decided to take over and hurry this up.

"I got it, Larry." She stepped closer to the window, so she could see the girl more clearly with less glare. She was wearing black glasses that rimmed her dark green eyes. Her gaze was intense, and Piper worried she might embarrass herself the same way Larry just had.

"Two for Transformers." She managed to say, and held out a twenty. A pale tattooed arm reached out and took the money from her, and traded it for the tickets. She noticed the girl was smirking at her slightly, and wondered why. It didn't even cross her mind that Larry might have wanted to pay for her ticket. But she _did_ realize that the moment was about to get awkward if someone didn't say something, so she laughed and said "We don't get out much."

 _What a stupid thing to say._ She thought, internally beating herself up. But before anyone could acknowledge the stupid remark, Pete piped in with: "Are you guys done? Jesus, we can't go anywhere with you these days. It's Chili's all over again." Piper tried to ignore him and nodded at Larry to walk forward, but he just put his hand out as if to say "ladies first". But then he ran ahead of her to get the door.

"Remember, babe?" Pete continued, as Larry opened the door for Piper. She didn't hear the end of the exchange, because the door clicked behind them, and she was alone with her sweater clad date. She tried not to sigh out loud.

"Do you want anything?" He asked, gesturing to the concession area.

Piper shook her head, "I really shouldn't, I'm trying to lay off the sugar and salt."

He seemed conflicted. "I figured I'd buy you at least something… Since you bought the tickets." Guilt drove her to saying, "Okay okay. I'll have a popcorn. No extra butter."

Larry smiled, contented at last.

The theater was cold, as Piper expected it to be, so she donned her jacket before they sat down. She tried to sit next to Polly on the end of the aisle but she glared at her fiercely. She ended up sitting between Pete and Larry, who were way too excited for this movie, they chattered about Megan Fox and Piper tried to ignore the fact that there was indeed butter on her popcorn after all.


	2. Inevitable To Me

Alex returned from her smoke break to find Flaca and being obviously complained to by none other than the mysterious blond, otherwise known as Piper.

 _Oh this is gonna be good._ Vause thought, and walked slowly into the situation.

"I asked my- I asked _Larry_ … to get me some popcorn without butter… and this tastes and looks like has butter on it." She was explaining to the unamused and bitch faced Flaca.

"This one doesn't have _extra_ butter though… It will have a little butter on it, miss, because we use popping oil to pop the popcorn… That's why it's yellow."

Alex tried not to straight up laugh when Flaca (who was roughly the same age as Piper, if not younger), called her miss.

Piper was leaning against the counter, a little bit desperately, tipping the bag towards Flaca's face so that she could see it. Her tiny romper riding up a bit when she did so. Alex didn't try to look away. Neither of the girls noticed Alex approaching.

"Okay… So there's nothing you can do?" Piper asked Flaca, her tone becoming hilariously snotty.

"Afraid not." Flaca replied, looking at her nails.

Alex, now behind the counter, cleared her throat. Officially interrupting the snooty exchange.

Both heads snapped up, startled.

"She doesn't like her popcorn." Flaca tattled, looking over her shoulder at Alex.

"I know I heard. It's okay, I'll handle it. It's time for you to clock out anyway, take your lunch break." She waved Flaca away, who was happy to be dismissed.

Piper picked herself up from the counter, a strange look on her face. Was she scared?

Alex tilted her head sideways and offered a half smile, hoping to unfreeze the girl.

"So, I can give you a refund for the popcorn, or I can give you something else… on the house." It came out a little more suggestive than she meant it, but Piper didn't seem to notice. She set the popcorn down on the counter, obviously a little shocked at Alex's kindness verses Flaka's hostile disposition. "T-that'd be great." She stuttered, and pursed her lips, glancing down at the bag.

Alex, who had put her arms on the counter lazily, looked at Piper sideways for a split second and then laughed into her own arm.

"Which one?" She finally asked the confused blonde.

"Excuse me?"

"Which one would be great?" Asked Alex, trying to control the smile that was struggling to leave her face.

"Oh!" Understanding illuminated Piper's expression. "Umm… The trading thing would be best. I didn't pay for it anyway… My date- Larry did." She explained, and Alex noted the strain it took for her to say the name Larry.

"I see." _Your boyfriend is a sucker._ "So, what can I get you instead… Piper…? Is it?" Alex said, hoping it wasn't too odd of her to remember her name.

Pipers eyebrows raised considerably. _Fuck she noticed._

"Yeah, how did you know that?" She didn't seem upset, which encouraged Alex to admit the truth.

"I heard your friend, he said "when we take Piper and Larry out they take forever"-' She deepened her already husky voice comically when she impersonated Pete and it made Piper snort. The snort made Alex laugh too, and they chuckled for a second together. Then alex remembered what she was supposed to be doing.

"But seriously Piper, what do you want?"

Piper searched the menu posted above, her brow furrowed, bottom lip trapped under her perfectly straight front teeth, concentrating. Alex found herself oddly turned on by the expression and had to look down at the counter, and wait for her to decide.

"Actually can I just get a glass of water?" Asked Piper, her voice sort of hushed for an unknown reason.

Alex rolled her eyes. This bitch was honestly incapable of getting herself anything nice, including a nice boyfriend.

"Seriously?" She countered, resuming eye contact with the girl.

"What?" Piper sounded surprised Alex had challenged her.

"C'mon, kid, you can pick any one free thing and you ask for _water_?" Disbelief was apparent in her voice, but still playful.

"Okay fine. What are you, the free concession police?"

"Good joke."

"I'll have a Coke."

"That rhymed." Laughed Alex, as she grabbed a medium size cup.

"Diet actually." Added Piper, a little hurriedly.

Alex's cheeks hurt from smiling, but she couldn't turn it off.

"Right away, miss." She said, making a show of filling the cup from the fountain, lidding it and handing it to her.

"Thank you very much…" She craned her neck a little, and Alex wasn't sure why. "...Alex." Ohh, she had been reading her name tag.

Alex didn't mind how her name sounded coming from this girl's lips. _Probably tastes better than the name Larry._

"You're very welcome. Sorry about the popcorn by the way… Flaca can be quite the little tightass when it comes to...picky...customers." Alex said, pushing the drink towards Piper, and once again leaning against the counter. Piper put her hands on the drink but didn't lift it from the counter. Instead she put her elbows on the counter and met Alex's gaze.

"It's okay… It was sort of ridiculous to complain about the popcorn…" She spun her drink a little with her hands, watching the residue ring start to build around the base. Alex watched her and hoped Piper would share what she was thinking.

"To be honest, I'm just- I was just looking for an excuse to leave the movie." She admitted, with a sigh.

 _Ahh. I'll be your excuse._ Thought Alex, but she didn't let it leave her lips.

"Hm… Giant metal robots fighting each other don't do it for you?" She asked, teasing the oh so predictable girl.

"Ugh." Piper rolled her eyes. "It's all the clanking noises and skrillex music…" An incredulous look of disgust painted her face, and she did hand motions when she she said clanking noises.

"Christ, even the like- what's it called… the like intro thingy?" Her fingers snapped and her eyes squinted as she tried to think of the words.

Alex knew her face must be giving her away, Piper must know how amusing she was without meaning to be.

"Title sequence." Alex offered finally, after enjoying watching her squirm a little.

"Yes!" She almost leaped into the air in revelation. "Thank you."

Alex nodded, not sure that words wouldn't fail her in the moment.

"Anyway, the _title sequence_ even had banging and clanking noises. It gets old reeeal fast."

Piper finally sipped her drink, after another comical sigh.

 _So much distress over a movie. This chick has a little bit of drama queen in her._

"I take it you didn't pick the movie." Vause encouraged, pushing to get to the real issue.

"No, the boys did. I mean Larry and Pete." She seemed annoyed just at the mention of them. "They talked through all the trailers about Megan Fox?" The straw squeaked as Piper absently pulled it in and out of the little cut hole. Alex couldn't think of something to add, imagining Piper watching a shitty movie and trying to eat buttered popcorn next to a guy she was trying so hard to like.

"Guys… Y'know?" Piper added, clichely, when Alex didn't comment.

Alex felt her cheeks get a little hot before she said, "Actually, I wouldn't know."

Piper seemed confused for a split second, and then recognition must've hit.

"Oh."

Somehow admitting her sexuality to Piper was thrilling, and sort of nerve racking. Alex usually didn't give a flying fuck who knew or if they disliked her for it.

"Not your team?" She asked.

 _Is she teasing me?_ Alex wondered.

"More like… It's not my sport." Alex said, cooly. Hoping the comment made as much sense out loud as it did in her mind.

Piper tilted her head slightly and squinted her eyes, which alex took as her que to elaborate.

"I mean, I don't do the whole relationship thing that often. I'm pretty challenged when it comes to _feelings_." She broke eye contact, and kind of scoffed at herself.

"That's not fair." Piper was looking at her in a kind of stern way, and Alex was intrigued. She silently challenged Piper to explain by raising her eyebrows.

"I think that's self sabotage." Piper concluded, sipping more of her Coke Zero.

"I think it's just knowing my strengths and weaknesses, Piper." She countered.

Piper, nodded slightly, allowed that.

"But you're probably right. I should give myself more credit." Alex continued, not wanting to make her feel bad for trying to be supportive. She suddenly had the urge to tuck one of Piper's crimped strands of hair behind her ear but refrained. _Rein in the gay, Alex._

"Well. I _am_ usually right." Piper responded in a mock fashion, and stuck her nose in the air.

"Hmm. I'm sure." Alex said, equally mocking.

"However," Piper added, leaning towards Alex with her hand at the side of her cheek as if she was going to tell her a secret. Alex closed the distance even more so (almost unnecessarily close), so she could listen.

"I'll admit I don't know what I'm doing relationship wise lately either." Piper actually concluded with a whisper and her breath tickled Alex's ear before both of them leaned away. Alex had a lot she could possibly say to that remark but she didn't know where to start.

"What, you mean with mr. manboy?" She said, gesturing towards the direction of the auditoriums. "Impossible." Alex continued to joke.

"He really is a nice guy…" She was feeling bad for letting on that he wasn't satisfying her, obviously.

"He's just…kind of like, controlling? But about weird things. Not normal things. And my friends keep throwing us together and… They don't understand why I don't think it's working!" Her voice raised at the last part and Alex was surprised.

 _She hasn't expressed her frustrations much lately, that's for sure._ But she didn't mind being the person Piper was venting to.

"Well… I hate to be the voice of reason… Also I don't know Larry... but from my own observations I'd say he is less than worthy of you." _Shit Alex, now you've done it._

As if Piper suddenly realized where she was and how long they had been talking, she straightened up and looked around.

Alex knew she had struck out, or struck a nerve… just struck something. "Worthy or not worthy… He's probably wondering where his date has disappeared to.." Alex created the escape Piper was looking for.

"Yeah… I should probably be getting back, right?" Piper said, a little bewildered. She looked right then left as if she couldn't remember where she had come from.

Alex nodded, and gestured toward her left. "Banging metal machines is that way."

"Thank you, Alex." said Piper, genuinely meaning it. "It was great to meet you. And thanks for the drink."

"It's no problem," Alex laughed, "you don't have to be so grateful."

And the girl disappeared down the hallway. Alex could hear the slight gurgle of Pipers drink heighten as it emptied and left nothing but ice. She half expected Piper to run back and ask for a refill. But she didn't. And Alex was left alone to overthink the whole encounter.

Piper made it maybe twenty minutes into the movie before she got sick of it all. The butter sticking to her fingers, Larry's hand laying open on the armrest, the kid behind her kicking the seat, and the shitty quality of the movie. Not to mention the silent but intense pressure from Polly to try to make an effort with Larry. All of it seemed to suffocate her and she stood up, apologized to the people she had to squeeze past in their isle, including a disapproving Polly.

Piper felt the urge to just leave right now or just go outside. _Stop it, Piper, there's nothing for you outside. Buck up._

Standing in the hallway of auditorium entrances, she realized she was holding the popcorn bag, and thought of an excuse to have left the movie.

There was only one employee manning the concessions in the lobby, but to Pipers disappointment it wasn't the same employee who had sold them their tickets. She couldn't analyze why she had wanted it to be the girl from before, she just felt it. She started toward the latina girl, who must have heard her approaching but paid no attention to her. She was sitting in a fold out chair behind the counter.

"Excuse me?" Piper said, in her most polite voice.

The girl looked up from her phone reluctantly, not trying to hide the annoyance she felt.

"Hmm?" She was chewing gum, and she ran a manicured hand through her ombre hair, very slowly.

"I'm sorry… Is there maybe a chance I could get a new popcorn?" Piper struggled to keep her voice polite. Her frustration with her social situation threatening to make her take it out on this movie theater employee.

"What's wrong with it?" She asked, standing up and meeting Piper at the counter.

"Well… It has butter on it…I didn't want butter." She winced as if awaiting the answer like it was going to be a punch to the face.

"Hun, you gotta ask for no butter when you order or we can't refund it." Said the girl, in a condescending tone. Piper inhaled sharply and set the bag on the counter between the employee and herself. The girl folded her arms across her chest and stared back at Piper indignantly. "Look.." Piper realized the employee's name was on her shirt and said her name. "Look _Flaca._ " The girl's eyes narrowed at the sound of her name.

"I asked my- I asked _Larry_ … to get me some popcorn without butter… and this tastes and looks like has butter on it." She tilted the bag towards Flaca more so she could look into it. She didn't look down at it, she just kept her eyes on Piper, stubbornly.

"This one doesn't have _extra_ butter though…" Faca talked to her in that way Piper hated, like she was a child who had to have things explained to her in slow motion. She clenched her fist.

"It will have a little butter on it, miss, because we use popping oil to pop the popcorn… That's why it's yellow." Flaca sort of sneered.

Piper put her hands on her hips, and sort of huffed. She couldn't believe the horrible customer service.

"Okay… So there's nothing you can do?"

Flaca sensed her frustration and smirked, examining pink nails before saying "Afraid not."

Piper was about to ask to see her manager when someone roughly cleared their throat. Flaca and her looked at the girl who had sold Piper the tickets earlier, who had apparently quietly snuck back behind the counter. She was obviously trying to keep a smile off her face, and Piper felt a twinge of hurt that her distress was so amusing.

Flaca, almost pointing her finger at Piper like a tattling sibling said, "She doesn't like her popcorn." But to Pipers surprise, the girl didn't back Flaca up. Instead she dismissed her, saying, "I know I heard. It's okay, I'll handle it. It's time for you to clock out anyway, take your lunch break."

Flaca left quickly, leaving Piper alone with the dark haired beauty.

Piper unfolded herself and unclenched her fist, and slightly backed away from the counter. A smirk still hid in the corner of the girls mouth as she looked at piper sideways, casually.

Piper gulped nervously as the girl placed her forearms on the counter and leaned against them.

"So, I can give you a refund for the popcorn, or I can give you something else… on the house." The girl offered, and Piper relaxed a little, realizing she wouldn't have to be hostile to this friendly employee.

"T-that'd be great." She stuttered, her surprised probably easy to recognize.

The girls face went from a courteous smile to a full on teeth revealing grin before she buried her face in the crook of her elbow.

Piper watched, shocked, as muffled gaffaws came from underneath the black mass of hair.

Lost as to what could be so funny, Piper stayed silent.

"Which one?" Came the voice from inside the arm.

"Excuse me?" Asked Piper, not following.

"Which one would be great?" She brought her smiling face back up into view as she clarified what she meant.

Piper suddenly realized she had answered an either or question with and 'okay' so to speak.

"Oh!" Piper felt her cheeks get hot. "The trading thing would be best. I didn't pay for it anyway… My date- Larry did." She explained, not able to conjure up the word boyfriend.

The girl looked at Piper as if she knew a secret… something that Piper had unknowingly divulged about herself. But Piper couldn't think what it was.

"I see." The girl said quietly. _What do you see?_

"So, what can I get you instead… Piper…? Is it?" The girl straightened up again and waited expectantly.

Piper realized she hadn't introduced herself and in return didn't know this woman's name, but she was tired of referring to her as "the girl" in her own mind. _Had I revealed my name? Fuck. Why am I so bewildered by this creature?_

"I heard your friend, he said "when we take Piper and Larry out they take forever"-' She deepened her already husky voice comically when she impersonated Pete and it made Piper snort. Piper brought her hand to her mouth, embarrassed at the noise she made, but they both just laughed together.

"But seriously, Piper, what do you want?" Asked the girl, her voice still a little pitchy from laughing.

Piper, again realizing how long this was taking, make an effort to look at the menu, but all she saw was sugar and empty carbs.

"Actually, can I just get a glass of water?" She asked, sort of meekly.

This caused the girl to roll her eyes, but Piper again, didn't know why. _Why does she care what I order?_

"Seriously?" She countered, resuming eye contact with Piper.

"What?" Piper asked, defensive.

"C'mon, kid, you can pick any one free thing and you ask for _water_?" The girl, who was probably her agee had called her 'kid' but not in a condescending way (not like the way Flaca had called her 'hun'), but in a nice way, a playful way.

"Okay fine. What are you, the free concession police?" Piper played back, and the chick raised her eyebrows.

"Good joke." She countered.

Piper made a decision. "I'll have a Coke."

"That rhymed." The girl laughed, but this time it was quieter, and goofier. Piper watched her grab a cup to put under the tap.

Piper changed her mind and blurted, "Diet actually." before the drink was poured, forever sealing her fate to drink a fatty soda.

The girl pursed her lips. _What's so funny about wanting diet Coke?_

"Right away, miss." Her voice was somewhat mocking, but after she filled the cup she handed it to her gently, with both hands as if it was a golden goblet filled with the finest wine in the land. Piper noticed a small embroidered name stitched into the girl's shirt.

"Thank you very much…" Piper leaned a little so she could make out the name. "...Alex."

The girl- _Alex_ seemed pleased that Piper had bothered to use her name.

"You're very welcome. Sorry about the popcorn by the way… Flaca can be quite the little tightass when it comes to...picky...customers." _I'm not picky._ Piper thought, but didn't say it.

Alex pushing the drink towards Piper, once again leaned against the counter. Piper put her hands on the drink but didn't lift it from the counter. Instead she put her elbows on the counter and met Alex's gaze. She knew it was time to go back to the movie, but… She was intrigued. And since Alex had been nothing but honest (teasing, but still honest) to her this whole time, Piper decided to do the same. "It's okay…" Piper sighed. "It was sort of ridiculous to complain about the popcorn…" She spun her drink a little with her hands, watching the little drops of water build on the side of the cup and plunge into the ring around the base of the cup where it met the counter. She felt Alex's eyes on her when she looked away.

"To be honest, I'm just- I was just looking for an excuse to leave the movie." The words leaving her quickly in one exhale.

She didn't have to look to know Alex was nodding in understanding.

"Hm… Giant metal robots fighting each other don't do it for you?" Alex asked, _but she wasn't really asking, was she?_ Piper thought, _it would be typical of me not to enjoy Transformers._

But, with nothing better to do, she decided to explain herself.

"Ugh, It's all the clanking noises and skrillex music…" Alex was listening, smirking. "Christ, even the like- what's it called… the like intro thingy?" Her fingers snapped automatically, trying to spark the memory of the right words to come to her. There was a moment of struggling until-

"Title sequence." Alex offered finally, amusement in her husky voice.

"Yes!" She was as happy as if she had remembered it herself. "Thank you."

Alex nodded, sweetly, allowing her to continue. ""Anyway, the _title sequence_ even had banging and clanking noises. It gets old reeeal fast." Piper sighed, and sipped at her drink.

Alex raised an eyebrow at her. ""I take it you didn't pick the movie."

"No, the boys did. I mean Larry and Pete." Piper said, trying not to sound too annoyed. Alex was still quiet, listening.

"They talked through all the trailers about Megan Fox?" Piper added, but it sounded like a question. Uneasy because of the silence, she played with her straw.

"Guys y'know?" She added, not able to stop her chatter in her nervousness. _Jesus shut yourself up._

Alex finally spoke, "Actually…"

Piper looked up at her, and saw her green eyes flash something like vulnerability, "I wouldn't know."

"Oh." Piper said, understanding now. "Not your team?" She asked, teasing her.

"More like… It's not my sport." Said Alex, flipping her black hair out of her face. Piper wasn't sure what to make of that statement. Alex must've noticed, because she explained herself.

"I mean, I don't do the whole relationship thing that often. I'm pretty challenged when it comes to _feelings_." She looked down at her hands, a half hearted laugh came out of her, a self loathing sound. Piper wanted to comfort her.

"That's not fair." She said, wanting to reach for Alex's hand, but stopped herself when Alex looked at her and raised her eyebrows as if to say 'oh really? Do tell.'

"I think that's self sabotage." Piper concluded, repeating something her counselor had told her and sipping more of her Coke Zero.

"I think it's just knowing my strengths and weaknesses, Piper." Alex said, a little bit of defiance in her voice.

Piper, nodded slightly, and wondered if she knew her own strengths and weaknesses.

"But you're probably right." Said Alex, looking away again. "I should give myself more credit."

The depressing vibe was weighing on the two sort-of strangers and Piper decided to make light of it.

"Well. I _am_ usually right." Piper said, putting on fake airs.

To her delight this made the girl sort of smile and say, "Hmm. I'm sure." Sarcastically.

"However," Piper added, leaning towards Alex with her hand at the side of her cheek as if she was going to tell her a secret. Alex closed the distance even more, so she could listen. Piper hadn't expected that and her heart skipped a beat before she said, "I'll admit I don't know what I'm doing relationship wise lately either." Piper noted how close they were for a split second before both of them leaned away.

The all too famous smirk appeared on Alex's (flushed?) face. "What, you mean with mr. manboy?" She said, gesturing towards the direction of the auditoriums.

"Impossible." Alex said breathily, fluttering her eyes. Always joking.

Piper cringed and said "He really is a nice guy…"

Alex's face showed that she didn't believe it for a minute.

Piper felt like explaining herself yet again, because she knew Alex would listen.

"He's just…kind of like, controlling?" She paused, watching Alex. But about weird things. Not normal things." The words were just pouring out of her without abandon now. "And my friends keep throwing us together and… They don't understand why I don't think it's working!" Her voice raised at the last part, and even though the monologue had been passionate, Alex didn't seem that phased. Alex seemed to be contemplating a response, and she readjusted her black rimmed glasses on her nose before speaking.

"Well… I hate to be the voice of reason… Also I don't know Larry…" She glanced at Piper, checking to see if it was safe to go further. "...but from my own observations I'd say he is less than worthy of you."

The words hung in the air between them… waiting. Piper felt her cheeks flush. _What had made Alex say that? She was right, she_ didn't _know Larry. In all honesty, Larry is the one who I'm not good enough for._

Alex must've realized the effect her words had. _Does she know I'm internally battling with myself here?_

She must have known because she stood all the way up again and her face turned apologetic, before concluding, "Worthy or not worthy… He's probably wondering where his date has disappeared to.."

Piper gulped. "Yeah… I should probably be getting back, right?" she said, a little bewildered. She looked this way and that but couldn't remember which direction she had come from.

Alex nodded amused, and gestured toward her left. "Banging metal machines is that way."

"Thank you, Alex." said Piper, genuinely meaning it. "It was great to meet you. And thanks for the drink." The words fell flat. She couldn't say all that she meant.

"It's no problem," Alex laughed, "you don't have to be so grateful." She shooed her off playfully.

Piper turned away, and started walking back towards the auditoriums. She was no longer cold, in fact she felt overheated, and she sipped her drink. The last of it slurped up into her mouth noisily. _I wasn't there that long was I? Long enough to drink my whole soda?_ But she didn't turn around and throw the drink away or give it to Alex, she just quickened her pace and went back to her date and her friends. She thought to herself _I'm not the same person I left the auditorium as._ And she couldn't comprehend how she could have changed so much in the last few minutes.


	3. Lesbians Are Dangerous

**Hey guys, thanks so much for the feedback and the favs and follows. To those of you who mentioned the repeated text issue, thank you, I appreciate it. There were a few screw ups when I transferred the chapters from my mobile to desktop. On a further note: I plan to write this story from multiple points of view and I'm sorry but often they will overlap into the same scenes or repeat scenes. If that style of writing annoys you I totally understand. I'll try to do it a little less. Piper and Alex are just so different in how they think and I want to portray that by showing them each in the same scene and how they contrast each other.**

 **Sorry this is intro is so long, I just wanted you all to know what to expect.**

 **Ily**

 **~mads**

"Vause, go clean auditorium 4 and 5." Ordered her boss. He was a middle-aged man with a mustache. He was a greasy sleazebag that never did any work, and although his name was George everyone called him 'pornstache' behind his back, and even sometimes to his face. He was sitting in the supply room behind the concessions counter, noisily eating a donut and reading a trashy magazine. He didn't even look at Alex when he ordered her about.

"Sure thing."Alex sighed.

She didn't want to leave the lobby because Transformers 2 would be getting out in under five minutes and she wanted to see Piper before she left. She wanted to gauge how they were after their conversation, maybe just wave goodbye… But Flaca and Maritza weren't back from their lunch break still, even though they were supposed to be, and they had to get the auditoriums cleaned for the next set of showings.

Alex reluctantly left the lobby, planning on hurrying back.

Piper, sleepy from the dim lighting of the auditorium, kept her jacket on as they exited the movie. The air conditioner had more than cooled her down after her excursion in the lobby. Larry was still clinging to Piper's hand as they threw away their trash and spilled out into the lobby. Piper was trying not to let it bother her that his fingers were buttery still as they clutched hers. Although, it was really hard for her to ignore. She had let him just hold her hand, finally, after her sat for another _half hour_ with his hand open on the armrest. _At least he's persistent._

"Well, was it as bad at you thought it would be, Pipes?" Larry asked, pulling her close to him by her hand in his.

"No, it was okay I guess." _It sucked ass._ She thought. Larry seemed so excited, she didn't want to ruin his mood with her stupid opinions.

"I gotta take a leak." Said Pete, leaving Larry, Polly and Piper to wait for him.

Polly seemed pleased, her eyes on Larry and Piper's clasped hands. Yet she couldn't leave well-enough alone.

"So… Where'd you disappear to for so long during the movie, Piper?" She asked, mischief in her eye. Larry looked from Polly to Piper, confused. _Maybe he hadn't noticed how long I was gone?_ Well, if he didn't notice then, Polly was going to make sure he knew now.

"I just went to get popcorn without any butter on it." Replied Piper, defensively. She glanced at the counter. No sign of Alex.

Larry looked concerned and faced Piper. "Wait I thought I got you popcorn that didn't have butter on it…"

Piper didn't mean to undermine him, but now she had to explain. "Yeah, I know hun, thank you. It just has popcorn anyway because that's what they pop it in."

"If you had just told me I could've gone and asked for a refund." Larry assured her.

"No, no, it wasn't a big deal, Larry. Plus you were so excited for the movie, I didn't wanna make you miss any of it."

Larry thought about this, and then smiled at her sweetly. "Next time you can tell me, though."

Piper was about to say that she didn't need help asking for a refund when Pete came sprinting back.

"I'm back!" He said smiling, always happy. Polly kissed him on the cheek. "Shall we go for some drinks?" Pete asked, ready to move on to the next thing.

"Sounds good to us." Larry answered for him and Piper, who didn't appreciate the assumption. She looked at the counter again, and saw only Flaca and her friend who were returning from their lunch.

"Yeah… Let's go." She said, even though Larry was already pulling her towards the door, trailing Pete and Polly.

"Honeyyy I'm hooooome!" Shouted Alex as she slammed the dirty red door with the broken deadbolts.

Nicky was sitting on the couch, her poofy hair overflowing the armrest. She raised an eyebrow at a very tired looking Alex.

"And how was work?" Nicky asked, eyes turning back to the tv.

"Well, I smell like popcorn, and I wanna kill some people… but other than that, terrible." Said Alex, dropping her bag on the floor and heading to the kitchen.

"How many more of these fucking double shifts you gonna pull, Vause?" Nicky asked, changing the tv channel.

Alex opened the fridge with a sigh. "I don't know, I'm just trying to make enough for rent _and_ enough to send money to my mom." She grabbed a can of cider and cracked it open.

"I keep telling you, I can pay full rent man. My family is loaded." Said nicky, looking over her shoulder at Alex lazily.

Alex shook her head and tipped the can to her lips.

"Or I could loan you whatever money your mom needs…" Said Nicky, knowing it was hopeless. If there was one thing Vause was shit at it was accepting charity.

"No." Said Alex, with a gulp of cider. "No. I don't want help, Nicky. I'll figure out a way to make more money."

Nicky rolled her eyes, and made room for Alex on the couch.

"What's the plan then, boss. Gonna start a gang? Become a drug lord?" She laughed, but Alex didn't. "I don't know." She said seriously. "Jesus I was kidding." Said Nicky. Sometimes she worried about how intense Alex could get.

After a few minutes of watching commercials Alex realized how self absorbed she'd been. "So… no luck then? With the lively little redhead waitress?" She asked Nicky.

"Well. Not really. Like I said, she claimed to have been incredibly drunk… but I _did_ find out where I can see her again." She said, looking at Alex with a sparkle in her eye.

"Oh christ nickles," Alex's face was apologetic. "You look a little psycho… not going to lie." She half laughed.

"I just-" Nicky suddenly sat up and looked Alex straight on, intensly. "I can't stop thinking about this one, Alex. She's so fucking…" She looked upset, like she couldn't find the words, the way Piper had looked. "I just can't _not_ see if this could lead somewhere y'know?"

Alex understood. "I do know…" The image of Piper, playing with her straw flashed through her mind.

"So. We are going out tomorrow, to Red's Diner. And _you_ will be my wingman." Said Nicky, decisively.

Alex still looked doubtful.

"C'moooon, you're the world's best wingman Vause. You sell me better than anyone." Nicky grabbed Alex's cider can and took a swig.

Alex smiled and nodded, as if admitting to herself " _It's true, I am good at my job."_

Piper was a nervous bucket of nerves. The summer had left her freshly graduated, and unsure of what her next step would be. Her parents continued to insist on sending her money, but Piper wanted to prove she could support herself. She had convinced them to let her try to find work on her own and get her own place. She had been living in a dorm during school and was allowed to stay there until the end of this week, so the pressure was on. Polly had refused Piper when she asked if she could stay with her and Pete. Something about how having an extra person in their space could complicate the really good place her Pete were in emotionally and dynamically. Piper didn't mind, not really even enjoying the thought of sharing space with Polly. So she made a resume (which was more difficult that anticipated since she hadn't had many paying jobs, just a lot of volunteer work), and she planned to go around town tonight and drop some of them off. Polly allowed her to put her name as one of the references on the resume, claiming to be a manager of a clam bake cafe that didn't actually exist.

Piper finished crimping her long blonde hair, and decided finally to wear the bohemian style, v-neck blouse she had put on and taken off several times before. On her feet were her favorite tan sandals she had worn on her double date yesterday, and on her legs were some plumb leggings.

"You… Can do this." She said slowly to herself in the mirror, before grabbing her purse and heading out the door.

The first two places (a cafe, and a sports bar) that Piper had stopped by told her they were not hiring, and told her to check the other side of town. Piper didn't relish the thought of working near the mall strip… But desperation was driving her to new territory. She only went to _that side of town_ if she was with friends (like yesterday) or when she was lost.

She found the least scary looking pub and took a deep breath before walking inside. It was dimly but aesthetically lit, and there were small tables, and one or two booths along the walls. The chatter was light and there weren't any burly men swearing at the news while sipping their sixth. The bartender looked like he might be in his early thirties. He had a beard and wore a dressy looking flannel. Piper instantly liked the place, and the crowd it kept. She walked up to the bar, and the bartender continued to mop up the table with a cloth. When he noticed her he asked her what he could get her.

"Oh hi… uhh I was wondering if you're hiring?" She managed to ask.

His face immediately showed that they weren't hiring and that even if they _were_ they wouldn't be looking for someone like her. "No… sorry." He said, continuing to mop the counter, his eyes moving away from her and back down to his work. Piper didn't want to give up just yet. This was the only place on this street she would feel comfortable working. "Well can I leave this with you or something…?" She asked, and he looked up, still distracted.

"Honestly, it's just gonna end up in a drawer somewhere." He admitted politely, and shrugged.

Piper allowed herself a moment of disappointment, sighing.

"Oh. Okay." She mumbled and took a seat on the bar stool next to her.

It was then that she recognized that something was familiar to her… A noise. _A laugh._

"Hey. You." It was Alex, calling her.

"Hey Laura Ingalls Wilder." The owner of the laugh continued to try and get her attention. Piper turned around. Alex sat with a number of other girls at a booth against the wall. The other girls were chuckling and one of the girls, with the absolute wildest hair Piper had ever seen was shushing them. Piper was a little offended by the Laura Ingalls comment, knowing that Alex knew her name, and didn't have to tease her publicly, so she turned back towards the patiently waiting bartender. "Can I just get a margarita?" She asked him. He smiled and said "Now _that_ I can do for you." And he disappeared to make her drink.

Piper could feel the eyes of Alex's crowd on her as she faced her back to them still. She heard someone, with sort of a raspy voice, whisper: "Holy balls, Vause is this _the Piper_?"

She didn't hear Alex reply. Her cheeks burned, and she pretended to be reading her resume. _The Piper?_ She marvelled. _She told her friends about me?_

The margarita was set in front of her. As Piper sipped some of it she heard what could only be Alex standing up to approach her. She guessed it was that because she could hear Alex's group chitter things like 'ohhhh she's going!' and 'go get em tiger.'

The night had turned into a fun one. Nicky had indeed found her mysterious red lipped vixen at Red's, ironically. She was working as a waitress there (her second job). And Nicky, with the help of her excellent wing-woman, Alex, convinced the pretty young girl to accompany them with some friends to a little bar called The Cask. The girl's name was Lorna Marello and she was hilarious… and probably a little nuts, as far as Alex was concerned.

 _Just don't fall too hard Nickles._

Alex decided to really enjoy her night off, and had one too many drinks by the time things got interesting. She was in the middle of telling the story of her walking around LAX barefoot when she felt Nicky nudge her leg from across the table, hard.

"Ow! Nicky I'm right here! You can just tell me you don't have to kick me." She laughed, rubbing her knee. Nicky ignored her protests and leaned across the table and whispered "Your type. Nine o'clock."

Alex looked in the 'nine o'clock' direction, and there she was. _Piper._ She marvelled to herself about the oddity of seeing her again so soon. She had fully expected to never see the endearing young blonde again in her life. This was a card dealt from the hand of fate. She could not let her get away this time.

"Dude shut your mouth, it's hanging open like you're trying to catch flies." Said Nicky, tossing a fry at Alex, trying to land it in her open mouth. They all laughed, but a calm determination came over Alex as she watched Piper. She looked like she had bought all her clothes in the same store again. Her long blonde hair hung loose down her back unlike yesterday and Alex couldn't help but tease her.

"Hey. You." She tested her words. Making sure they don't slur together, practicing with the short and simple. "Laura Ingles Wilder." She said, louder this time. This caused a roar of laughter from Lorna, Sami and Sylvia, but Nicky shushed them.

Alex watched Pipers expression go from… excitement? To hurt. _Aw now you done it, Alex. You forgot these upstate chicks can't take a joke._

Piper turned her back to Alex. _Ohh, so that's how it's gonna be huh? I can play this game._ She had to sober up a bit here if she wanted to not choke on her tongue the way she can when intoxicated… and even when she wasn't intoxicated. What was Piper doing here? She wasn't here with friends… and she was holding a paper in her hand. _Oh! She must be looking for a job._ But she also looked uncomfortable. _My fault? Not entirely…_ Nicky must have noticed the entirety of the situation because she drew in her breath sharply before saying, ""Holy balls, Vause is this _the Piper_?!"

Alex looked at her, and nodded slowly. Nicky smiled and winked at Alex, "Go get 'em, pimp."

Lorna was holding onto Nicky's soldier and begging to know what was going on.

Alex noticed Piper had sat down and ordered a margarita. Alex stood up and walked towards Piper.

A porcelain hand with black nails held the corner of Pipers resume. "Let's see this." Said Alex, her tone playful. Piper let her remove the piece of paper from her hand and finally looked up at Alex. _Damn was she this tall last time?_

The bartender was back at their end again and Alex motioned for him to give her another beer before turning her attention back to Piper's resume. _Here we go._ Thought Piper, knowing the onslaught of teasing had just begun.

"Steve's Greek Cuisine.." she raised her eyebrow in Piper's direction but didn't look away from the resume until she read the next name, ".. La Grande Flamage.." Alex finally cracked a smile and laughter bubbled from her coolly. "Bullshit, bullshit."

If anyone else was saying this to Piper her feelings would be unamendable, but Alex teased in a sort of adoring way…

Piper laughed a little too, amazed at this version of Alex, the not-at-work Alex, free and full of spunk.

"You need a lesson in fudging a resume." She added, smirking.

Piper decided to tease her. "Um, do you work here?"

Alex looked at her, surprised and not the least bit amused. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

Piper blushed. The word _fucking_ sounded good coming from her.

They locked eyes for a split second, something like… friendship?.. passed between them. Alex cleared her throat and looked back down at the paper.

The bartender replaced Alex's old beer with a fresh one, but neither of the women noticed.

"Manager Polly Harper." Alex continued to read, then looked at Piper.

"No one named Polly Harper is put in charge. Who is that really?" Her voice said 'don't you dare lie to me' so Piper didn't lie. She shyly admitted, "A friend." And looked down in mock shame.

They both laughed and Piper like how their voices mixed.

Alex set the resume down, still watching Piper. "You've never waited a fucking table in your life, have you?" Again her tone was playful, but Piper was disarmed. Was she that see-through?

Piper knew there was no point in lying, so she just shook her head and said a slow "No.." before biting her lip. She felt good, which confused her. Usually banter felt awkward and forced… but with Alex everything was easy.

"Passionate about making diners feel good- ooooh that seems kinda dirty." Alex laughed, and Piper's cheeks when scarlet. _Yeah she could've gone without that line._

"So you're a smith grad?" Alex asked, glancing at the paper again. Piper didn't have to confirm. She drank the last of her margarita.

"With excellent listening skills.."

 _Would she ever stop this torture?_

"Calm careful and clean while handling food and drink." Alex laughed a little extra at that, before Piper said "Stoppp." Grumpily.

Alex seemed to notice she had reached her limit and again pushed away the resume.

She flipped her black hair out of her face and pushed her glasses back up on the bridge of her nose.

"I like that in a woman." Alex's tone had changed. More serious. Less playful but just as friendly. _More than friendly?_

"What else do I need to know about you?" She asked, her eyes burning their way into Piper's.

 _Definitely more than friendly._

Piper was dumbfounded for an instant. She blinked and then looked at Alex sideways, and answered with a question. "Is this what you do when you're not working? Make fun of strangers?"

Alex looked away and brandished her cold beer, and held it gingerly near her lips, saying "Among other things." And She took a sip. _Was that supposed to sound so suggestive?_ Wondered Piper.

"Come on. You just learned all about me, the least you could do is return the favor." Whined Piper, determined, as she took the resume from the counter and put it in her bag.

Alex motioned to the waiter, and he looked over. "Bring her another one." She mouthed, then returned her attention back to Piper.

"Well, you already know what I 'do', Piper." She laughed, leaning against the bar. "I scoop popcorn and sell tickets all day." She drawled out the words as if she were talking about slave labor.

"No, no, not that- Thank you-" Said Piper to the bartender who had replaced her drink. "I mean what do you _do do._ " She already sounded drunk, and she knew it.

Alex erupted in laughter. "Do do?" She held her hand to her mouth, trying to swallow her beer before opening her mouth.

Piper ignored the hysterics and continued to drive her point. "Yes. _Do do._ Everyone has jobs, but not everybody's jobs reflect what they _do._ "

Alex, who was obviously amused by Piper's use of the word 'do' composed herself enough to respond reassuringly.

"I understand your question now." She looked at the table, contemplating something. "But I'm not sure if I can answer it." She looked back at Piper, who wanted to crawl into this mystery mind and hear what went on in there, see what it was like behind the scenes.

"Well then, you might not be _doing_ what you want." Offered Piper.

Alex looked at her. Really looked. Then she smiled.

"Of course I'm not doing what I want to do…" She laughed, "No one dreams of butter and khaki pant uniforms."

Piper smiled and said, "What do you want to do, Alex?" Still on a serious note.

Alex pushed her glasses up on her nose and tucked some hair behind her ear.

Piper waited intently.

For the first time that night Alex seemed to be struggling with what to say next, and Piper somewhat enjoyed it.

"I want lots of things. I want experiences mostly. And things for my mom." Alex finally said, filling the silence.

Piper hadn't expected such an honest answer. The conversations she held with Alex had been light and playful until now.

"I want experiences too." Piper said, sipping her drink. _With you._ She finished in her mind.

"What, you haven't seen the world?" Asked Alex, less serious.

Piper scoffed, "Don't sound so surprised, I'm not your typical poor little rich girl." She said, indignant.

Alex felt her face smile when Piper claimed she wasn't like most rich girls. _I know you aren't._ She thought. She was glad that Piper hadn't pried about her mom, but she also felt like she would've told Piper anything right here and now if she demanded it.

"I'm gathering that." Alex said. She watched as Piper carefully lifted her glass in the air for a toast. "To _doing_ … and doing what you want." She said, proudly.

Alex loved her then. Wholeheartedly. And it scared her shitless.

The table full of Alex's friends lifted their glasses as well and the sound of clinking glass filled the tiny bar.

After the toast, Piper felt an arm envelope her shoulder, at freckled one, that didn't belong to Alex. She felt curly hair tickle her face.

"So… Piper." It was Alex's friend, and Piper knew because Alex mouthed "sorry" to her.

"Do you like pussy too? Are do you prefer pipe, like your name suggests." The girl was obviously drunk.

Piper looked at Alex for help, laughing.

Alex shook her head and sipped her beer. "Leave the poor girl alone, Nicky, she has a boyfriend."

Nicky looked at Piper, her mouth open in surprise. "Well what you letting Alex bug you for?" She ruffled Piper's hair, much to her discomfort. She instantly put her hand up to flatten the staticky strands. This got a smirk from the all-noticing Alex.

"Cause y'know… Alex Vause is one of those _real fulltime_ lezbos."

Piper raised her eyebrows at Alex who was still shaking her head, unbelieving.

"C'mon, you know it's true. You're one of those women that _make_ other women gay."

Piper laughed, unable to contain it. Watching Alex trying to keep her beer from squirting out her nose when she laughed was too much.

"No offense, Al. It takes one to know one, y'know what I'm sayin'?" Piper noticed the upper west side accident of Nicky's, many of her classmates had the same dialect.

Nicky released Piper from her iron drunken grip when a short woman with shockingly red lips came over and held her freckled hand.

"We better get you home Nickles, I think you're about to kiss the floor." Red lips said as Nicky leaned into her.

"Why don't you kiss me instead?" Asked Nicky, and Piper looked away, feeling like she was now intruding on something. When she looked away she caught Alex's eye and smiled. _This really had turned out to be a good night._

Alex got off her barstool and closed the distance between her and Piper (which wasn't much). "Where are you parked? I'll walk you there." She offered, in her husky voice.

"But what about the drinks? I didn't pay ye-" Piper started, and Alex put her finger on Piper's lips. "Shh... hey charlie?" She said, getting the bartender's attention again. "Can you put her drinks on my tab?"

Piper wanted to protest but the words didn't come out.

The bartender smiled and nodded, and then shook his head. The action implied he knew Alex well and that this wasn't an uncommon occurrence. _Alex Vause are you some kind of player?_

"I'm a regular here." She explained, when Piper looked up at her, confused. But it didn't seem to be the answer Piper had been waiting for.

 _What is it?_

"Where'd you park, Pipes?" Alex asked again, fully aware she was breaking the girl from a trance.

"I-I'll show you." Piper sort of whispered.

Piper shook her head as if to wake herself, and dismounted her stool, following the crowd to the door.

"Wow. I take back what I said about you not being a basic richie, kid." Alex laughed when they reached Pipers car. "You drive a fucking Prius."

"What else would an environmentally aware person drive?" Piper answered, defending herself.

Alex put her hands up, surrendering. "Jesus don't shoot. Just teasing you." Again, Alex couldn't believe how much she had smiled while with this person.

Piper leaned against the car and gave Alex a firm stare.

"I never joke about global warming, Alex." _Was she saying that ironically or not?_

Alex leaned against the other side of the car, the way she had done over the counter last night, and starred Piper back fiercely. "You know what? You're right. I shouldn't laugh. I'm just jealous of your… enthusiasm." Her smile betrayed her and she knew it.

"I can tell. You probably call yourself a 'realist'." Spit Piper, teasing.

"You got me." Alex said, winking at her.

Piper finally broke eye contact and smiled down at her car keys.

 _I don't wanna leave either…_

"Think you can drive home, miss margarita?" Asked Alex, her tone soft.

Piper nodded. "I'll manage. I'm more worried about you. You seemed like you were already on a few by the time I showed up."

"Oh I won't drive, don't worry. That's nicky's job." She watched Pipers face go from an expression of concern to one of terror.

"Alex! You can't be serious! Nicky could barely walk out of there-"

"Chill chill." Alex laughed, "I'm kidding you idiot."

Piper relaxed in relief and then anger showed on her face. _She didn't like being tricked._

"Yeah, Nickles and I live just down the street from here actually." She explained.

"Oh. That's good then." She was still pouting. It was adorable.

"I take it you don't want to come up for some coffee..?" Asked Alex, only half joking.

"No… I have more job searching to do tomorrow, but thanks." Said Piper, her voice tired. Right then Alex got an idea.

"Wait, Pipes before you go…" Alex walked to the same side of the car that Piper was standing at before finishing. "I'll keep my ears open for jobs, and if I hear of something I'll call you…?" _Please let me call you._

"You want my number?" She sounded surprised.

"Of course…" Her voice accidentally intense. _I want more than your number._

"Do you have your phone?" Piper asked, her cheeks pink from the chill of the night and the thrill that was Alex.

"Yes." Said Alex, getting it from her pocket.

"Jesus how old is this thing?" Laughed Piper, taking the flip-phone from Alex's hand, letting her fingers linger on Alex's momentarily.

"Smart phones are for suckers."

Piper rolled her eyes and typed her number in.

"There you go.."

Alex smiled, taking the phone back.

A moment of silence passed as the two awkwardly tried to figure out how to say goodbye. Alex finally backed away from the car, and gave a half wave.

Piper got in her car and rolled down the window.

"It was nice to see you again, Alex." Piper half yelled, "I didn't think I would."

"I'm glad we crossed paths too." _You have no idea._

The white Prius's taillights faded into the night and Alex walked the opposite direction, towards her little flat she shared with Nicky, who was no doubt fucking that Lorna this very moment.


	4. Also Not Sorry

**Hey guys, I loved all the feedback and I tried to follow your advice best I could in this chapter. I hope you guys enjoy it.**

 **Ily all**

 _ **Piper/pov**_

The next day proved as unsatisfying (job wise) as the day before had been. Piper had a few places politely accept her resume, but they also informed her that they weren't hiring at the moment.

Piper, feeling like she might not be able to take anymore rejection, decided to stop and get some lunch before heading back to the dorm. She had a lot of packing to do if she wanted to be moved out in time. _Moved out… to where?_

She sighed, found a quiet table and nibbled on her salad. As she sat there alone her mind automatically went to the girl with black hair and glasses. _Alex, why are you still in my head?_

Piper checked her phone for the third time since she had ordered her coffee. Nothing. She set it back down, close to her hand still in case she had to answer it quickly.

Piper let herself daydream, and remember last night… the way Alex had looked at her… how she talked… got her to tell her things that were really none of her business.

Pipers phone buzzed. She jumped from her chair and hit 'answer' before she could even think.

"Hello? This is Piper." _Try not to sound too eager._

"Oh, hello." The voice was not Alex's, and it shocked Piper considerably. The person on the other end of the line was a woman, but she had a deep voice and a thick russian accent.

"M-may I ask who's calling?" Stuttered Piper into the speaker.

"You can call me Red." The woman sounded as if she were moving around a busy, and noisy, kitchen. "I'm the owner of Red's diner. I saw you left your application with the manager this morning." She said, all business.

Piper wasn't sure what to say, not remembering all the places she'd gone to.

"Look, honey are you trying to get a job or not?" Red said impatiently.

Piper found her voice, "Yes, I'd love one. Should I come in for an interview?" _Too eager, too eager._

"That won't be necessary." Said the lady, unamused. "When is the soonest you can come in for training?"

Piper tried to think or at least picture her schedule. "Uhm… I can come in now? Or sometime today?" She said, unsure.

"Good. Be here in an hour."

The phone clicked as the call ended abruptly.

Piper stared at her phone is disbelief. She had just gotten a job.

 _ **Alex/pov**_

 _ **Very early on the same day...**_

Alex knocked on Nickys bedroom door. It was hardly ever shut, but this morning it was… for obvious reasons.

"Nicks! I need your help, can you come to Red's with me before work?" She shouted.

There was a muffled noise beyond the door… then finally "Uhhmm I'm 'helping' someone else out at the moment, you can… mmmm…. Make an appointment with my secretary!"

Alex rolled her eyes. "Please? You owe me one, remember?"

There was a moment of silence, and then the little Lorna cracked the door open, her makeup smeared, and nickys duvet wrapped around her.

Alex laughed. The sight was just more proof Nicky could make anything happen for herself if she put the effort in.

"Nickles says she will help you." Said the little lady, her cheeks blushing underneath her fake blush. "Won't you Nicky dear?" She craned a very hickie spotted neck to turn her head back to the bed.

Alex rolled her eyes again. _Hickies? What are they twelve?_

"Yeah yeah…I'm very charitable." Grumbled a naked Nicky as she rolled out of bed.

Alex almost jumped in the air, and clapped her hands together. "Yes! Thank you. Meet me downstairs in fifteen."

Lorna nodded and shut the door.

On the subway, Alex explained why she needed Nickys help. She was planning on convincing Red to give Piper a shot, but she knew her own word wouldn;

Red was in a terrible mood when they arrived at the diner. Lorna looked at Nicky nervously when they heard the sound of metal clanking and an alarm going off, along with some profuse language hollered in a russian accent.

"Well you picked a good day to ask a favor." Said Nicky through the side of her mouth at Alex.

"I TOLD YOU! I TOLD YOU NOT TO! HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I HELPED YOU OFF YOUR FEET?" They could hear Red shout.

The group of three approached the diner counter. Nicky was the only one who passed behind the counter. She walked gingerly, cautiously.

"Hey Red?" Nicky's voice cracked in fear. "Bad time to come a-calling?"

The sound of metal stopped, and the shouts were replaced by mumbles. Angry swift ones.

Alex gave Nicky a questioning look, and Nicky only shrugged her shoulders in response. Nervousness was in her eyes.

Every head turned when Red appeared from behind the kitchen door, soaked in water.

"Red?" Nicky gasped, shocked. "What the fuck is goin' on?"

Red started to cry, and Nicky went to her side. "Just tell me…" She begged.

"The girls…" Red blubbered, lifting her apron to her face to dab at her tears.

"T-they shot up in the kitchen. High as kites in the wind… both of them." Red sobbed into her apron now. Nicky looked back at the door, anger _and_ sympathy in her eyes.

"When I found them… T-they tried to run away from me through the emergency exit- set off the alarms ant s-sprinklers…"

"Which ones?" She asked Red, coldly.

"D-dogit and Tricia…"

Nicky was through the door before you could say rehab.

Lorna and Alex put their arms around Red, and led her to a stool behind the counter.

"It's gonna be okay, mama chef." Said Lorna, patting Reds quivering shoulders. If there was one thing that could break this woman it was 'her girls's. Kids that she took under her wing, gave jobs to and helped them sober up. But when some of them failed, the affect it had on her was always colossal.

"They're my only openers." Said Red, frustrated now. "No one else is trained to do this morning shit."

Lorna looked at Alex, who knew this was her shot. "Actually, I might have someone for the job."

Red looked at Alex, skeptical.

"Oh really? Who?"

Alex gulped. "A friend of Nicky and I's…Her name is Piper Chapman. She is desperate for work. She's trying to break loose from her parents money…" There was a pause. "Like nicky." Alex added, quickly.

"Ah, I don't know, Vause." Said Red shaking her head. "Nicky is one of a kind. Most privileged girls don't make good workers."

"This one is different." Alex said, looking at Lorna, who smiled, knowing Alex meant that in two ways.

"She's determined to prove herself. Not a lot of experience… But she has capacity to learn." Alex tried to keep the smile of her face as she said it.

"Hmm.." Thought Red out loud. "I don't have much choice do I?" She undid her wet apron from behind her back, sulkily.

Alex almost jumped in excitement, but remembered herself and the situation. "Is that a yes?" She prodded, gently.

"I supposed I could have a look at her." Red sniffed. "But if she wastes my time-"

"She won't, she won't." Assured Alex, her and Lorna both smiling.

Nicky pushed through the door, and everyone noticed the alarm had stopped.

"Where are they?" Asked Red.

"On their way to Bonnies. Where you sent me last time. I called them a cab." There was pain in her voice but she was trying not to make it apparent.

"Thank you, Nichole." Said Red, her heart heavy. "You're a good egg." She ruffled Nicks hair. "Only a junkie can save a junkie." She laughed in response.

Red stood up and got a fresh apron from a drawer behind the counter. "Where's this Piper girl?" She demanded.

"Oh she will be around. Trust me." Answered Alex, " She… She has to think it's her idea."

Red laughed at that, a small and short inhale-exhale. "A skittish one hm?" She said, getting the mop from the no door closet.

"Wait for her to come to you." Alex advised.

Nicky chuckled at that, but Lorna nudged her.

Alex gave them a look and then said to Red, "I imagine she will bring you her poorly written resume to your waitress this morning…" She smirked as she said this, remembering how hilarious the piece of paper was.

"And _do not_ tell her I said anything." _Independant lil thing._

 _ **Pipers/POV**_

Pipers phone rang when when she hopped back in her car. She fumbled through her purse, looking for the source of the buzzing. When she finally found her phone she was disappointed to see the screen was lit by her brothers goofy mug. She sighed and hit 'answer'.

"Yeah hello?" She knew she sounded curt but couldn't really help it.

"Uh Pipes?" Her bros voice echoed oddly through the speaker.

"What is it, Cal?" She asked, starting the car. "Jesus where are you calling from? The echo on the call is _really really_ bad." She asked.

"I'm on a camping trip but I thought you should know that mom and dad are planning a surprise visit…" Cal said, letting that sink in.

"Oh you mean a sneak attack right?" Laughed Piper, stress evident in her voice.

"Yeahhh… see, I guess Polly told them you were seeing this guy… they're pretty excited to meet him." Explained Cal, matter of factly.

"Who? _Larry?_ " Asked Piper, incredulous.

"Is that his name? He looked more like a Henry or a Jerald on the internet." Call was chewing something noisily now into the speaker as he talked.

"Yeah well we've only been out twice, I'm hardly 'seeing' him." She said, pulling onto the main road.

"They also want to find out where you're living? Or will be living? So be prepared to deal with that."

Piper leaned her forehead on the top of the steering wheel in exasperation. "Fuck."

"Yeah I'm sorry. Thought I'd give you a heads up." Said Cal, sympathetic. They both knew their parents and how brutal they could be.

"Yep. Thanks for that, Cal." Piper said, stopping at a red light. "Hey, I really gotta go… I have to be at work in a few minutes."

"Oh yeah, they'll probably ask about that too." Cal said. "Your job." He added, humorously.

Piper knew he was trying to call her on her non-existent bluff, thinking she didn't really have a job.

"Yeah my _job._ I'm a waitress…" Piper paused, realizing she really wasn't sure if that's really what she was doing. Red hadn't told her.

"Yeah. Okay." Said Cal a little teasingly and taking a big bite of whatever he was eating. "Op! Gotta go!" He said abruptly. "Catch you later, Pipes."

"Bye-" Said Piper, but she as cut off by the phones beep.

The Diner was a cute fifties style place, off the main drag a couple blocks from the mall. As Piper opened the door she recognized one of the waitresses. Red lips, and short brown hair. _Nickys girl._

"Lorna?" Piper said, hoping she had remembered her name right.

The girls head turned and when she saw Piper standing there she smiled. "Heyyy, come on back I'll show you 'round!" She took Piper's hand and led her, quickly leading her back into the kitchen.

"This is the kitcheeen…" Lorna said, walking toward a corner of the metal-ly applianced room, to a chart on the wall. "Here is where you will clock in everyday, and make sure you write down the exact time, okay? Red hates when we round up or down…" She explained, pointing to Pipers already written name on the chart, and handed her a pen from her white apron. Piper wrote the time under "Clocked in".

"Oooooo you have nice handwriting." Gushed Lorna, taking the pen back. Piper didn't have time to say thank you because she was already leading her away.

Lorna explained how to do almost everything, taking orders, where to clip the orders, how to ring up a bill and keep a tab, restock, and upkeep behind the counter. It was forty-five minutes before Piper was given an actual job to do. She was folding all their cloth napkins into neat little rolls and putting them in their holders when Nicky came into the diner. She was in a mechanic uniform, and there was a good amount of what looked like grease marks on her skin. Lorna ran to her, and Piper couldn't help but smile. She felt herself wishing she felt that way about Larry… They never ran to each other. They had had those initial butterflies between them at one point, but they faded fast. They were _supposed_ to work. They were so comfortable and functional… So why did she crave a different kind of relationship?

Lorna whispered something to Nicky that made Nicky look in Pipers direction. When she saw Piper she waved. Then the two of them scurried into Reds empty office.

The summer afternoon had been slow, and Red, who Piper had yet to actually meet, had left Lorna and the kitchen crew to do Pipers basic training. Lorna had told Piper that tomorrow Red would be teaching her how to open the Diner, and tonight a girl named Gina would be showing her how to close the Diner. _Damn, this is gonna be a long day._

When Piper ran out of napkins to fold she stood behind the counter for a few minutes, not sure what to do next. The only people who were working right now were the kitchen staff… and Piper was a little scared of them, and couldn't bring herself to ask them what she should do. She walked toward Reds office, deciding that if she heard sounds of fucking she would turn around and just wait patiently for Lorna to come back. When she reached the door she heard a phone ring, and she heard Nicky say, "Hello Alex."

And Piper decided to eavesdrop.

 _ **Alex/Pov**_

It took all of Alex's self control to not call Piper immediately. Work was torture. Every blonde she saw made her heart skip, because for a second she would think that it was Piper. But each time it wasn't. She was dying to know how her day was going… She wanted to hear Piper tell her about her success in finding a job. Alex knew Piper would be proud of herself, and she felt good knowing she had helped make it happen.

"What is wrong with you today, eyebrows?" Asked Martiza, looking at Alex sideways. Pornstache had scheduled them to work together without Flaca. He told Flaca and Martiza that they had to prove they could actually get shit done when they were scheduled together. Alex took extra long to close the theater the other night because the two didn't help. Martiza thought Alex had narced on them, and was being extra sulky at her today because of it.

"What do you mean?" Alex asked her, realizing with a shock she had held a cup under the soda fountain too long and it was overflowing onto her hand and into the soda tray. "Oh shit." She scooched her butt out to avoid it spilling onto her uniform and stopped filling the cup.

"Exhibit A." Sighed Martiza, sliding lazily away from the counter to get Alex a paper towel.

"I'm just… kinda out of it." Said Alex, wiping up the mess. "I didn't get much sleep last night." She added, remembering the racket that had been a wall away from her last night.

This surprised Martiza. "Oh, you didn't?" She used her 'it's about to get gossipy in here' voice, and Alex didn't want to participate.

"Ugh, it wasn't like that. My roommate and her gf…" She trailed off, tossing the soaked paper towel into the trash bin.

"Ohhh, that poofy haired chick?" Asked Martiza, fluffing her own imaginary perm.

"Yep that's the one."

An idea came to Alex at the mention of Nicky.

"Hey, I'm gonna take my break." She said, grabbing her phone from the counter and hurrying outside.

She dialed Nicky.

"Hello Alex." She said, as if she knew Alex would be calling to big her.

"Where are you? Are you on break?" Alex asked, rushed and intense.

"Jesus, needy much?" Scoffed Nicky, but she continued after an exasperated "Ugggh" from Alex.

"Yeah, I'm _on my lunch._ Quite literally." Laughed Nicky.

"Gross." Alex made a 'blegh' face. "Are you at the diner then?"

"Yeah Alex, I'm at the diner. And your plan worked. Lorna said Chap has been training for like an hour now."

"Yes!" Alex exclaimed, a little hushed.

"Thank you so much, Nicky." She added.

"No dude. My hands are clean. _You're the one_ who talked to Red." Said Nicky, giving Alex the credit.

"Do you think I should text her?" Asked Alex, a little nervously.

"She's been checking her phone all day you asshole!" She heard Lorna yell through the speaker. "There you have it." Confirmed Nicky. "Now stop cutting into my lunch time you 'asshole'." Said Nicky teasingly, and the line went dead.

Alex sent Piper several texts:

5:32pm: _hey you, it's alex. hows the job hunting?_

 _7:12pm: did i text the wrong #? is this piper?_

 _9:04pm: if you gave me a fake # ill be heartbroken lol_

By 10pm Alex was confused and disappointed. She really thought Piper and her had hit it off the night before. She was replaying last nights events in her head, trying to remember where something might have gone wrong, when she heard Martiza arguing with someone in the ticket booth.

She left the concessions counter and walked to the booth.

"You have to buy a ticket if you want to come in." Alex heard Martiza say.

"I just need to talk to Alex." A voice said through the speaker, unidentifiable with distortion.

She rounded the booth corner and saw that the person on the other side of the window was Piper.

 _ **Piper/POV earlier that night…**_

Piper had overheard Nicky and Alex's conversation through the door, and it had hurt her to know that Alex didn't trust her to be capable of getting a job herself. She had been so proud to have gotten the job earlier this morning, and she had thought that Alex was different than her mom and dad and brother who thought she needed help in order to get the things she wanted.

She didn't let on that she had heard when a disheveled Nicky and a flustered Lorna appeared from inside Reds office. She went about the rest of her shift focusing on learning the closing process. She was even more determined to prove that she was worthy of this shitty job than she had been this morning.

"Good work, Chapman." Said Gina, when she had finished showing her how to lock up.

"Thank you." Said Piper, wondering if Gina knew she had gotten the job because of Alex.

Piper got in her car before she looked at her phone.

Several texts from an unknown number read:

5:32pm: _hey you, it's alex. hows the job hunting?_

 _7:12pm: did i text the wrong #? is this piper?_

 _9:04pm: if you gave me a fake # ill be heartbroken lol_

Piper hated herself for almost smiling when she realized Alex had contacted her finally. She had lied to her, she had known Piper had gotten the waitressing job. She was like everyone else. She doubted Piper like everyone else doubted her.

There were also texts from Larry:

 _2:08pm: Hey there Piper, I had a good time at the movie… Do you have any time this week? We could go see something you like._

 _8:27pm: Polly tells me you're looking for a job, and if I had known I would've helped you look. Let me know how it goes?_

 _Ugh_ thought Piper at the thought of another date with Larry. _Why does everyone think I need help with this?_

Piper struggled to think of a reply to Larry. She started the car, deciding to just think it over while driving.

"Turn right onto freeway" her gps politely instructed. Sudden and sheer defiance to the authority of her life made her ignore the instructions, and she continued driving… following the road that eventually left her in the mall parking lot, the movie theater still lit up just a hundred feet from her car.

 _What the fuck am I doing?_

Piper was a little scared of herself as she got out of the car, without her phone or purse, and slowly make her way to the ticket window where she had first met Alex.

 _ **Alex/POV**_

"Piper?" Alex said, unbelieving.

Martiza looked back at Alex, confused. "Do you know her?"

Alex nodded, locking eyes with Piper through the glass. She looked upset.

Alex realized she had forgotten to answer Martiza but nothing came out when she opened her mouth to say yes.

"Okay… umm I'm gonna… go." Martizas voice was a distant noise and then the booth door closed behind her and Alex was alone with Piper.

A muffled "Alex…" could be heard behind Pipers side of the glass, the speaker switched off.

Alex walked to the window and sat, turning on the speaker. She wasn't sure what to say… she knew Piper must've been upset about the job… but why? Why couldn't see be grateful? _All I did was try to help her._

"Why did you do that, Alex?" Piper said, her voice kind of cracking. The summer breeze blew her blond hair in her face gently, and she didn't try to tuck it away, her arms set angrily taught by her sides. Alex wanted to reach through the glass and hold her cheek.

"I was only trying to help you, Pipes." Alex heard herself say, brisker and colder than she wanted it to be.

"Why does everyone think I need help?" Piper shouted, her arms raised and her hands clawed the air in exasperation.

Alex was annoyed now, and she didn't try to hide it. "I'm sorry, I should have told you about my plan. But I'm also… Not sorry." Added Alex. "Because now you have a job. Why does it matter who helped you get it?"

Piper frowned and let out a huff of air, clearly insulted.

"How insecure are you really?" Alex leaned closer to the window. "A friend of yours helps you get a job and all you can do is complain about it."

Alex knew her words had cut something deep in Piper because pain flashed across her already tortured expression.

"You aren't my friend." Piper finally spit. Tears welled up in her big blue eyes. "You don't even know me!"

Alex got up abruptly and walked out of the booth, slamming the door hard behind her.

 _ **Pipers/POV**_

Piper hated that she cried when she was angry. It always betrayed her. She could never be threatening when she needed to me. She had watched Alex leave the booth, and tears plunged hot down her cheeks. She knew Alex had the right to leave her there, after the awful thing she had said… and she couldn't blame Alex for leaving. She turned around slowly, actual sobs escaping her now, and walked in the direction of her car.

But another door slammed shut. And Piper turned around to see Alex, standing in front of the entrance door, a peculiar look on her face. It was fierce and determined. Piper stared at her for a moment, insure of the sudden feeling that enveloped her as she looked at Alex.

 _ **Alex/POV**_

Alex felt her legs carry her, closing the distance between the two of them slowly. Purposefully.

"You're right." Alex said. "We aren't friends."

Piper stood her ground, not backing away from Alex as she approached, but her eyes were wary. "W-what?" Stuttered Piper, the wind (which was picking up considerably) carrying her voice.

Alex was very close to Piper now, they were almost touching. Alex looked into big blue eyes, searching them for any sign of protest as she brought her hand up to hold Piper's tear streaked cheek.

"I don't want to be your friend."

 _ **Piper/POV**_

The same desire that had made Piper skip the turn onto the freeway was the same desire that drove her to hold Alex's hand against her face, and kiss her.

Alex did the opposite of stop her. Piper felt Alex's other hand weave into her hair and lock her in their kiss. Piper was surprised at how easy and natural if felt to kiss Alex. It was also overwhelming… She felt so _much._ Alex's breath was hot on Piper's lips, and Piper leaned her forehead to Alex's trying to steady herself. She felt like she might fall over if she wasn't closer. Alex understood, and took her hand from Piper's cheek only to loop it around her waist, holding her tight against her. Piper put a hand in Alex's charcoal hair at the back of her neck and whispered, "Alex…"

Alex only stared at her, an eyebrow slightly raised, waiting for Piper to continue what she wanted to say.

"I don't want to be friends either."


	5. Standing Still Is Hard

"Vause!" Yelled an angry Pornstache from the theater entrance. "It's closing time!"

Alex let out a heavy sigh, her eyes travelling from Piper's face to her body, so close to hers. She felt Piper kind of slump in her arms poutily.

"You gotta go?" Piper asked, disappointment in her voice.

"Yeah… back to the salt mines." She tried to laugh and rubbed Pipers upper arms when she shivered a little in the nighttime breeze.

"Are you gonna be okay, Chapman?" Alex asked, suddenly concerned that Piper wouldn't meet her eye.

Piper nodded, her head still down.

"Vause! I won't ask you again!" Shouted Pornstache, frustrated that Alex had kept her back towards him the first time he had hollered.

"I'll be right there!" She said, only turning her head slightly when she said it, her eyes still on Piper.

"You know… You could wait for me if you want." The words came out of Alex's mouth before she had tasted them. "For me to get off work I mean..." She added, lightly.

"I probably should go… I'm opening Red's tomorrow." Piper finally looked up, her eyes held something different than they had moments ago and it made Alex's heart sink. _Please don't regret what we did…_ But Alex gave her a way out, just like she had the night they met when things had gotten a little too intense.

"Alright, kid. Drive safe…" She dropped her hands from their place on Piper's arms, and took a half step back, reluctantly.

Piper looked as if she were searching her mind for an answer, her cute little brow furrowed, and she finally reached up to try and tame her blowing hair.

"I-I will see you again?" Piper managed.

Alex only smiled a half smile and nodded, quickly. "The universe seems to keep throwing us back together."

Piper smiled and turned around, towards her car.

"Oh, and Piper!" Shouted Alex, before Piper had gone too far.

Piper turned around in response, like she had when she had heard the door slam shut.

"You would've gotten the job with or without me… I just wanted to take credit…" Admitted Alex, kindly. "I'm proud of you."

Piper smiled bigger, and Alex could see her grin even from a distance.

When Piper reached her ridiculous car Alex finally turned around to see Pornstache, with his arms crossed, waiting for her.

"Be gay on your own time." He said to her as they walked back inside.

 _Oh I plan too,_ Alex thought, smiling to herself.

But Piper didn't call or text the next day. Or the day after. And something stopped Alex from finding out what was up. She didn't try to call Piper, she couldn't bring herself to do it. She did however, decide to call her mom. No one helped her better than Diane when it came to one of her spin-outs. She laid on her and Nicky's kitchen floor, trying to keep cool. It was only 9:17am and the temp was 97 degrees and climbing.

Alex dialed her mom on her 'ancient' phone while Nicky stepped over Alex to get to the fridge. She had been out with Lorna the night before, and was nursing a hangover. She rubbed her eyes and looked down at Alex, sleepily.

"I'm guessing you haven't heard from the one-kiss-wonder." Nicky laughed.

"No. Calling my mom." Replied Alex, not in the mood. She held the cool phone to her ear and removed her glasses.

Nicky took the hint, poured what was left of a smoothie into a glass and tip toed out of the room.

"This is Diane." Her mom answered, politely.

"Hey mom it's Alex." She pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes as she spoke, feeling a shadow of a headache coming on.

"Alex! Oh I was beginning to think you had forgotten your old lady." She said, fake miffed.

"Forget who brought me into this world of shit? Never." Laughed Alex, halfheartedly.

"Uh oh. What happened, kiddo?" Her mom always knew when something was up, because Alex started complaining that she was ever brought to existence.

Alex sighed before saying, "You'll probably laugh."

"Oh honey, I wouldn't laugh at your problems." Diane said, appalled.

"What about that time in Queens when I sat in bird shit-" Alex started, finally a hint of a laugh in her voice.

"Okay! Okay, sometimes I laugh at your problems. But it's my right as a parent. Someday when you're a mommy you can laugh at your kid's problems."

Alex made a face, a kind of scrunched nose one, and she wondered if her mom knew she was making it even though she couldn't see her through the telephone.

"Mom, I'm not gonna ever be a 'mommy'." Alex said, disgust clear in her tone.

"I can dream can't I?" Replied Diane, humorously. "Now quit stalling, Al. Tell me what's giving you the saddies."

Alex rolled onto her stomach, and kicked her feet in the air lazily tangling them. She put her glasses back on. "I think I like this girl… But she has a boyfriend _Larry_. And I haven't heard from her since… since we kissed two days ago." Alex ran a hand through her hair, thinking how unbelievably cliche she sounded.

"Al you broke the number one rule: Never fall in love with a straight girl." Her mom said, teasing yet still sympathetic.

"She can't be straight… No one who kisses like that like boys only…" Alex mumbled, letting her head fall into the crook of her elbow as she whined.

"Do you want my advice, pumpkin?" Diane asked. Alex always liked that her mom never threw advice at her when unasked or giving permission.

"Shoot." Alex said, muffled by her arm.

"Wait for her to come around." She sounded so sure, as is this was the obvious answer.

"But what if I never see her agai-" Alex asked, raising her head from her arm mopey.

"Trust me, if she doesn't realize you're more fun than someone named Larry, she isn't worth it." The classic mom line.

Alex sighed in response. "You think she'll change her mind?"

"I do." Said Diane, and Alex hoped she was right.

 _ **Piper/POV**_

Although Alex's kiss haunted Piper at any moment of solace, she knew she couldn't do anything about it. None of it made sense. What _did_ make sense was that Larry was in need of a roommate, her parents were coming to visit her and needed to see that she had a job, a boyfriend and a place to live. It made sense to move in with him when he offered, saying he couldn't pay the rent all by himself, and how it was fate that she needed a place and he had a place. Piper was grateful for him, she really was. He had shown up on her doorstep on moving day, a smile on his face, and a willingness to carry her many boxes of clothes, shoes, books and candles. But Piper had this gnawing feeling that it was weird that they were going to be living together when they hadn't even done the deed… Was it an expectation of his? Would he want her to sleep with him tonight? The thought made her stomach turn. Not because she didn't want to, but because she kept thinking of Alex. _How unfair am I being to both of them?_

"Something wrong, Pipes?" Asked Larry, when he noticed she had stopped packing a box, and was staring at a pair of shoes on the floor with glazed eyes.

Piper shook her head, waking herself. "I'm fine, babe." They had just broken the 'babe barrier' recently but it still felt weird to say. She pulled her hair up into a short blonde ponytail. "I'm just tired." She sighed, resuming her packing, "Moving is draining, and disorienting."

Larry nodded and picked up the shoes Piper had been absently staring at moments ago. "You're right." He dropped the heels into the box Piper was packing, and she tried not to show her annoyance that he had put shoes into a sock box.

"We should take a break." He offered, "We can get chinese…" One of his hands reached down, hanging in the air expectantly, offering to help her up.

"I _do_ like Chinese." Said Piper, placing her hand in his, and forcing herself to leave the Marshal shoes in the box marked 'socks'.

Piper ended up having her own room in Larry's apartment. He only asked her once if she rather stay in his room. She politely declined, a blush in her cheeks. She knew she wouldn't be able to hold out much longer but she used her period as a temporary excuse… Which shut him up about _that_ considerably.

Her parents arrived the day after she finished moving into Larrys. They were pleased to meet the timely boyfriend who wore sweaters and spoke politely. Piper learned more about Larry listening to her parents interrogate him than she had when they spent time together. She didn't know that he had written for The Times last year, and that he had dreams of becoming a regular there. She ate her garden salad quietly during their dinner together, trying not to think about Alex. She felt terrible for saying that she didn't want to be just friends… For _kissing her_ and then disappearing into the night. She knew Alex must be hurt and confused… She wanted to apologize, but every time she dialed Alex she couldn't hit call… What would she say? ' _Hey sorry I'm a coward and a bitch and have to keep running back to my comfortable yet confining life, I can't stop thinking about your lips'_? It just wasn't done.

"What do you think, Piper?" Her mom's voice broke Piper from her salad-sorting reverie.

"Umm, sorry what?" She answered, looking up from her dinner to the expectant eyes of Larry, her mother and father.

"We were just trying to decide if we should go see a film after dinner." Piper's mom explained, giving Piper a look, one that said " _You're being rude. What is wrong with you?"_

Piper tried to keep the look of terror off her face at the mention of going to the movies. Alex was most likely working…

"It's kind of late don't you think?" She offered, glancing at Larry, before she took a bite of her salad.

Larry, in response, checked his fancy watch, a look of doubtfulness on his face. "Not really that late, Pipes…" He reached out and toucher her knee.

"It's only 8:45, darling." Added her father, who was now scrolling through his phone, checking showtimes no doubt.

Piper forced a smile. "Whatever you guys wanna do."

 _I'm sorry, Alex._

 _ **Alex/POV**_

 _That bitch._ Alex thought when she first spotted Piper approaching the ticket booth with her yuppy boyfriend and uppity looking parents.

Piper and Larry swung their clasped hands happily between them. And Alex wanted to throw up. Out of all the girls Alex had met over the years, Piper was the one who gave her the worst whiplash. Just days ago they had been in the very same parking lot, kissing each other desperately… and now she was playing the rich college grad, mommy and daddy's good little boy dating daughter. Alex was almost sympathetic. But not quite. Piper had made her bed, and now she had to sleep in it and tell herself she was comfortable.

Piper kept her head down as Larry asked for tickets to The Blindside. Alex noticed Larry had learned a little since he last attempted to get them movie tickets.

 _Piper's parents were the little push you needed to step it up, huh yuppy boy?_

Alex made a point of looking at Piper the whole time the group stood in front of the window.

 _I dare you to ignore me._

Piper was looking at her phone, but her shaking hand didn't escape Alex's attention, and she almost smiled.

 _Look up, Piper. Look at me._

She didn't. She let Larry lead her away, protectively, from the window.

 _That's your choice then._ Alex thought. Deciding that would be it. That was her answer.

The group moved into the lobby, and Alex overheard the woman who could only have been Piper's mother, saying "That employee was sort of hostile…"

Alex rolled her eyes and tried to help the rest of the customers without letting her feelings show. Usually this was easy for her, but the unexpectedness of seeing Piper had left her vulnerable.

The rest of the night Alex spent doing upkeep chores. She cleaned the popcorn machines, soaked the soda fountain nozzles, swept…

"Why are you being weird, Vause?" Pornstache asked from inside the closet/office, his fat feet resting on the tiny desk.

"Being weird?" Asked Alex, as she scrubbed the counter, her back to him. "You mean doing my job?" Her tone was incredulous.

"Well, don't expect a gold star for doing more than usual." Pornstache advised, stuffing his mouth with a buttery handful of popcorn.

"I only expect some distraction…" Sighed Alex. "From my incessant train of thought…" She threw the paper towel she had used to wipe the counter down into the trash and fixed her glassed which had slid down the bridge of her nose.

Pornstache had stopped listening and was turning up the volume on his tv, lodged in the top right corner of the ceiling.

She sighed again, realizing Pornstache hadn't actually cared.

Just then, Alex saw her.

Piper was fast walking to the bathroom, holding her head in such a way that her loose blond hair covered her face.

It was almost funny, she was practically _running_ to the bathroom.

It took all of Alex's self control to not say "I see youuuuu" like a little kid.

Instead she told Pornstache that she was going to the bathroom and crossed the lobby quietly once Piper was already inside a stall.

 _ **Piper/POV**_

Piper almost started to hyperventilate when she heard the bathroom door squeak open. She knew it was Alex. She had to pee, after all the drinks at dinner had just run straight through her. She was grateful that she was wearing a dress, making the wait to relieve herself even shorter. She sat down on the toilet, and watched Alex's Doc Martens feet travel in front of the stall, and then turn on their heels, and face away from her. Then Piper heard the water running, and relaxed a little. Maybe Alex would leave her alone.

"One intense conversation, and you disappear on me…" Alex said over soft drizzle of the faucet. Her voice sounded lighthearted to Piper… But she knew better. In translation, Alex was saying: _What the fuck, Piper? Why did you do what you did and then leave me?_

"I'm sorry, Alex." Said Piper, hating the weakness in her voice. It made her sound uncaring.

"I don't know why I'm surprised." Alex scoffed, hurt audible in her voice. The water turned off, and Piper heard a paper towel tear somewhere. "You're obviously one of those little rich bitches who goes around doing what they want without weighing the consequences." Alex sounded angry now… And surprisingly it didn't scare Piper, as she had expected it too. Instead it made her temperature rise.

"Don't pretend like you know me, Alex." Piper raised her voice, fixed her dress and flushed the toilet.

Quick footsteps approached Pipers stall, and they were face to face, but unseeing… the stall door dividing their vision. Piper caught her breath, sensing Alex was inches from her.

"Oh, but I _do_ know you, Piper Chapman." Alex's tone was chilled and hushed. She wasn't going to be brushed off. "You're so much more than this life that you're trapped in." Alex said, desperately.

The words hit Piper like a slap in the face. She wanted to deny it. But the truth kept her from even trying. She took a silent step back from the stall door, stunned.

"Unless I'm completely wrong… And that goof is your future husband… and you're not just with him in order to fit a role that you think you should be playing… Then by all means, leave this fucking theater tonight and forget all about me." Alex spoke quickly as if all of this had been festering inside her the past few days. And Piper knew she deserved to hear all of it.

"But if not…" Alex choked out, her words trailing off.

Piper sat down on the toilet again, staring at Alex's feet.

"I'm moving in with him." Piper said, flatly. "Fuck, I already did… I-I moved in with Larry." Piper dropped her face into her palms, laughing a little hysterically.

"Oh." Said Alex, matter of factly. "In that case… It looks like I'm wasting my time."

Alex walked away from the stall and towards the bathroom door, before pausing and saying. "I hope you're able to convince yourself that you're happy, Piper."

And the door shut.

In the car on the way back to Larry's house, after seeing Piper's parents off to their 5 star hotel, Piper couldn't contain the waterworks.

Larry was bewildered at the site of Pipers tears.

"Uhh… I'm starting to think movie theater outings might not be a good idea." He said, probably remembering how strange Piper had acted after their double date with Polly and Pete. She had kept saying how _nice_ and _good_ Larry was… But she wasn't saying it in an adoring way.

"I'm sorry, Lar." Blubbered Piper, leaned her head against the cool of the window. "I'm just… It's hard to see my parents…" She wiped her eye, and Larry touched her knee (for the second time tonight) in attempts to comfort her.

"But… I thought it went well." Larry said, keeping an eye on the road, and gave a sort of confused chuckle.

"It did…" Piper tried to control her sudden onslaught of tears. But Alex's words rang in her ears.

"It's never enough for them, though. Tomorrow when I show them where I'm working they will be critical of it… They always find something I'm not d-doing right."

 _...a role that you think you should be playing._

"They don't understand me." She cried, pathetically into her arm, making Larry move his hand from her knee to her shoulder awkwardly, wanting to help but not knowing how.

 _Oh but I do know you, Piper Chapman._

"Piper…" Laughed Larry, nervously. "Nobody's parents understand them."

Piper was quiet, knowing talking to Larry about this would be pointless. Men were such fixers. Piper wanted someone to tell her that it was shitty and leave it at that.

"Trust me, I understand the whole parental pressure situation, Pipes… I'm Jewish." Larry explained, and Piper had to suppress a groan. Every time Piper complained about something Larry would relate it to his jewish upbringing.

She humored him the rest of the way home, listening to him tell her about this one time in third grade he went to a BBQ where all they had was hot dogs and how he couldn't eat anything there. He thought he was lightening up the mood when really he was just distracting Piper from the truth she was battling with internally.

 _ **Alex/POV**_

"This is the most memazing party ever!" Alex tried to yell at Nicky over the noise. Alex was trying to follow a blurry fuzzy net of sand, but it seemed to be jumping around dizzily. Nicky turned her puffy head over her shoulder to look at Alex, her eyes glazed, and said "This isn't a party, stupid! This is a concert remember?"

They laughed together and held each other's arms, trying to stay tethered in the moshing mess of rockers. Alex's eyes got really big, and the sight must've scared Nicky because she shouted "What?!" And slapped Alex's shoulder hard. "You can't be looking like then when I'm tripping!" She hollered, a look of terror on her face.

"Nicky, Nicky! I just said MEM-AZING!" The both fell to the floor in a fit of laughter.

They had dropped a few tabs of acid once the opening set had started, but neither of them had used in a while and the effect was intense and sudden.

It had been a week since Alex had seen Piper, and Nicky had just discovered that Lorna had been cheating on her with some italian guy. Both Alex and Nicky needed an escape from their love lives that seemed to be dead ends.

Nicky's old dealer had told her about a supply he was delivering during a Death Maiden concert. He offered Nicky $500 to do some subtle hand-outs in the pit. He also threw in a couple free pills when she threatened to do all the drugs. Alex was against it at first, knowing that Nicky was a recovering heroin addict and that if she enabled Nicky then Red would probably strangle the both of them with her bare hands. But Alex figured since it wasn't heroin they would be handing out or taking, it wasn't as risky.

Nicky had convinced Alex to go with her, not aware that Alex's dad, Lee Burley, was the drummer of the headlining band.

Alex had known, of course. But she had decided not to give a good goddamn about it, and try to have a good trip. She hadn't met her dad, and she wasn't interested in doing so now. Her mom hadn't told her his name or what band he played in, only that he was "a real rock god". But Alex did her research when she was old enough, and wasn't surprised to discover that her dad was a mediocre drummer for a one hit wonder band. She also learned that not a single member of the band was sober. _Sorry daddy dearest, not interested._

Nicky's phone lit up in her hand. Both her and Alex leaned in to look closer at the tiny shiny screen and bonked their heads together with a smack.

"Ow fuck!" Yelled Nicky, hitting Alex's shoulder a second time. Alex leaned back, rubbing her head and giggling.

"Aw shit man…" Groaned Nicky, tossing her phone at Alex. "You _gotta_ text your girl, she is texting _me_ now." Said Nicky, her 'but seriously' face in full affect.

"What, really?" Alex grabbed at the phone blindly, her hand missing a few times before securing a grip on the glowing orb.

She raised the phone to her eyes, all squinty and struggling to make out the words jumping around the screen. It was like staring into the sun.

 _Nicky it's Piper. Is Alex around?_ The text read. Alex rolled her eyes at the sight of it, her head rolling back with her eyes a little bit, uncontrolled.

"How'd she even get my number?" Continued Nicky, who was almost puked on by a towering mosher.

"We should get outta here, Vause." Alex heard Nicky say distantly… She was staring at the swirling vortex of people surrounding her… Wondering why Piper would suddenly need to talk to her. _Was I not clear last we talked? She chose…_

Something suddenly gripped the back of Alex's jacket and she was lifted off the ground, levitating. She noticed Nicky was in the air with her, her legs kicking.

After a bad version of crow surfing, Alex realized that her and Nicky had been dragged out by a man doubling them in size. He set them down on a bench just outside the small venues entrance.

"What the fuck are you two doing?" The man boomed.

Alex might have been hallucinating but she was pretty sure smoke was coming out of his ears. She covered her mouth so that she wouldn't laugh in his face.

"What are you talking about, Fari? You gave us the drugs…" Said Nicky, looking scared.

"Yeah to do _after_ the gig. Not while you're handing out my shit!" The man named Fari ran his hands across his brown balding scalp and paced in front of them, obviously stressing.

Alex suddenly burst out laughing.

Nicky and Fari both looked at her, startled.

"I'm… I'm really sorry…" She laughed hysterically, "But your name…" She snorted between the words 'your' and 'name' "...Is Fari?" This was followed by more laughing.

The big guy seemed to loosen up, which wasn't expected. His name must not have been a sore subject. "Yes that's my name, and I'm a successful businessman." He ignored when Nicky snorted at that.

"What's your name, kid?" He asked, looking at Alex.

"My name's Alex." She answered without hesitation, as if she were simply making friends and not speaking to a drug lord.

"Hey, listen, Fari…" She giggled after saying his name but continued, "Do you ever _not_ lie about what you do?"

Fari's brow furrowed, and he glanced around, skittish.

"Like… Do you ever go up to someone and say 'hey my names Fari and I work for an international drug cartel'?" Asked Alex, jokingly. But before Nicky could slap Alex on the shoulder again Fari had them both up in the air again, and was dragging them to his truck.

"Play time's over." He said, pushing them into the lifted white pickup.

"Heyyyyy, what the fuck man!" Yelled Nicky as she tried to kick out the glass on the other side of the pickup. But she couldn't budge it. That shit was fireproof.

"Fari, where are we going?" Asked Alex, finally concerned, her hands pressed against the glass from the inside, looking out at their captor. Fari was lucky Alex hadn't said something like that inside the building. Fari glanced around nervously, but calming down when he had confirmed the three of them were the only ones in the parking lot, and no one had overheard her comment about the illegal drug cartel.

 _ **Piper/POv**_

"I just don't understand what you're deal is, Piper."

Larry was standing in front of Piper in their living room, his hands on his hips. Piper was sitting on the couch, detached, and avoiding eye contact. She hadn't been expecting Larry to confront her, and she had to think up a defense.

"You've been cold to me since your parents left…" He pressed, and tried to catch her eye.

"This is just how I am, Larry." Piper answered, curtly.

"Bullshit." Larry wasn't going to let her ignore this anymore. "You've been cold to me. Admit it."

Piper rolled her eyes, and looked at the ceiling. "God Larry, maybe the cold hard truth is that you don't really even really know the person you moved in with." She said, challenging him.

"Don't you-" Larry knelt down so they were eye level, "Don't you try to turn this around on me. I was the one who offered for you to live here but _you_ were the one who agreed."

Piper lit up at that, standing up. "Like I had many other options!"

Larry was a little surprised, but a little satisfied to have finally gotten a rise out of her. He stood up too, the coffee table between them.

"So you're saying, if you had other choices you would have chosen something different…" He paused, some kind of epiphany hitting him, " _Someone_ different."

Piper shrugged, knowing how heartless she was being, but also knowing there was no stopping now. They were doing this.

"Honestly… I don't know what I _would have done_." Snapped Piper, annoyed by his pity party. "Isn't it enough that I ended up with you? Why does it matter _how_ I got here?" She demanded.

Larry looked at her like he was seeing her true colors for the first time.

"Piper… It matters because I want you to _choose_ what you want." He was talking in the way he did that made her temper explode. The slow way.

"Well I don't!" She yelled, her cheeks flushed, "I'm not good at doing what _I_ want to do."

Larry blinked, thinking, his face giving nothing away. He scratched the back of his head before saying, "Well do you know what you want?"

Piper looked at the floor.

 _Alex._

"Tell you what, Piper." Said Larry, decisively. "I'll make this easier for you…" He sighed before asking: "Do you want _me_?"

Piper had prayed this question wouldn't come. She had played she would be able answer with a yes by the time it was asked. But it would be lying if she said it now. She continued to stare at the tan carpet of the floor.

Larry took the silence as his answer.

"Wow." Hurt rang in his voice. "So that's all I am to you?"

"I-I always hoped that it would turn into more…" Piper stuttered, tears welling in her eyes, and blurring her vision of the carpet.

"You don't move in with someone based on 'hoping for more'!" Larry said, angrily.

"I'm sorry okay! I'll move out." Piper said, walking out of the room.

Larry looked confused, and followed her quickly. "Piper what- where are you gonna go?" He asked, doubtful that she would really do it.

"Polly's? It doesn't matter." She shook her head, unbelieving. "I just… I gotta get out of this place." She grabbed a suitcase from her closet and tossed it on the bed.

"C'mon let's talk about this, I don't want you to go out into the night with nothing but your rage…" Said Larry, less angry now.

"Oh _my hero._ " Laughed Piper, shaking her head some more as she stuffed her bag blindly with clothes from her drawers.

"Piper please…" Said Larry, knowing it was a lost cause.

"Larry get out!" Piper pointed toward the door.

He stared at her blankly.

"Get the _fuck_ out of my room!"

He finally turned around and left the room, grumbling under his breath something like "I'll call Polly and let her know you're coming over."

"I don't need you to do that." Said Piper through gritted teeth, throwing the last of her underwear into the bag. She didn't even want to go to Polly's, knowing Polly would pester the fuck out of her about Larry and pressure her into going back to this godforsaken trap of an apartment.

Piper picked up her phone dialed Alex. IT went straight to voicemail, and Piper wondered if Alex had blocked her. She sighed and typed out a message to a different contact:

 _Hey Nicky, it's Piper. Is Alex around?_

 _ **Alex/POV**_

The oversized truck finally pulled off the highway and into what could only be described as a warehouse block, but it was dimly lit and it was hard for Alex to make out any of the blurry details. The ride had sobered her up enough for her to realize she was missing her glasses.

The truck stopped abruptly, jolting its two backseat passengers.

Nicky threw up something pink all over her feet.

Alex had seen this coming, since Nicky had started hyperventilating when she realized they were locked in a hot and stuffy truck, with a drug dealer.

"Aw shit, kid." Whined Fari when he opened the passenger door and hot vomit dripped from the floor of the car onto the pavement by his feet. "Not cool." He said, gingerly gripping Nicky by her hair and yanking her from the cab into the cement.

Nicky let out what was probably supposed to be a scream but came out a croak.

Alex couldn't see Nicky from inside the high car, just blackness below Faris waist. "Don't hurt her! She didn't mean to!" Yelled Alex, shocked at the sudden violence.

Flashlight beams appeared inside one of the warehouses garages.

 _There's more of them?_ Alex shivered.

She was dragged out of the truck as well, falling next to a shaking Nickles.

Alex felt her knees bleeding.

The guys with flashlights were surrounding them now, and Fari was pacing back and forth in front of the two girls.

"These two got high on the job." Yelled Fari, and Alex thought he might be smiling as he said it but it was too hard to make out a facial expression in the dark.

"And they almost revealed some info about our business to a crowd of people." Fari explained further, ripping a flashlight out of one of the thugs hands. He directed the beam of light into the eyes of his captives.

"Lets teach them what we do to employees who risk our business." Fari finished, gesturing for the gang of hooded people to close in.

Alex knew how to curl herself in such a way that she could protect the most important of her organs, and so she did so, knowing that a beating was coming… or worse.

Feet and fists collided with her shoulders, but and some even managed to angle in such a way they could hit her face.

From the sound of Nicky's cries, it was apparent she didn't know the curl yourself up trick and was getting kicked in softer areas.

Just when Alex thought she might uncurl from the pain, as if this were some trampoline crack-the-egg game, the beating stopped.

She allowed her body to go limp, and everything went dark.

 _ **Piper/POV**_

Piper left the apartment, refusing the money that Larry kept trying to hand her, disgusted. Tears streaked down her face as she waited for her uber in the driveway. Larry waited awkwardly in the lit doorway, and Piper looked back a few times to see if he was still watching her, which he was. She huffed in annoyance.

"Where are we going?" The uber driver asked her when she got in, and Piper realized she didn't know where she was going yet.

"Uhm… Can you take me to Red's Diner 5th Av?" She managed to squeak out before clutching the pink duffle to her chest and crying.

The uber guy looked like he was trying to decide if he should tell her the Diner would be closed, but decided against it when he noted her hysterics.

Piper let herself into the Diner through the kitchens back door, and curled up on the cot in Red's office.

She checked her dying phone, and saw that the message she had sent Nicky was read but not responded to.

 _I hope you're able to convince yourself that you're happy, Piper._


	6. I Want You To Come

**Okay so… A lot of you disliked the drug thing, I got it. Not planning on making Alex have anything more to do with that ;) I was just setting up for some sympathetic Piper-ness. so keep your pants on guys lol. That being said, this isn't going to be a completely fluff story where the two live normal working class domestic lives… that's not who Piper and Alex are, but I don't have to explain that to you. I like vauseman for their dysfunctionality, and their rule-breaking tendencies. Expect a few hiccups like this drug incident and Pipers incessant mood swings.**

 **I appreciate your feedback, positive or negative and I hope you enjoy this chapter more… I definitely enjoyed writing it more than the last chapter.**

 **Ily all,**

 **mads**

 _ **Alex/POV**_

Alex woke up stiff, and a little bloodied. Her eyes struggled to adjust to their surroundings. To her surprise she was in her and Nicky's apartment. She had been lying next to Nicky on their living room rug.

The events from last night suddenly flooded her memory and she quickly, and wincingly crawled over Nicky in order to see her face. Her mug was pretty swollen, but Alex was more worried about the odd limpness of her right arm… And the fact that she was laying completely still.

"Nickles…" Alex whispered, sweeping a loose set of bangs off Nicky's forehead. "Nicky you gotta wake up…" Alex's hands hovered over Nicky as she tried to decide if it would be okay to shake her or nudge her. But she wouldn't have to, because Nicky's eyes fluttered open. Or they tried to… both of them pretty swollen.

"What… What the balls happened to us?" She asked Alex, trying to move, but freezing when she felt the pain. "Vause what happened?" Her voice was a little panicked. "Just tell me now, am I going to die?" She asked Alex, only a little kidding.

"Don't get dramatic Nicky you won't die, but we do need to get you to the hospital I think you dislocated your shoulder there…" Said Alex, nodding towards Nicky's weird looking right arm.

"Well fuck." Answered Nicky in a matter of fact tone.

"Who's gonna call Red? You or me?" Said Alex, holding her pounding head.

"I vote you…" Said Nicky, not relishing the wrath of Red. "Are we going to tell her what happened?" She said, glancing up at Alex.

"Only what we have to." Said Alex, patting her pockets for her phone. She eventually found it in her jeans.

 _(4) missed calls: Piper_

Alex decided to deal with that later, and dialed Red.

 _ **Piper/POV**_

"What are you doing in here, girl? You nearly gave me a heart attack" A russian accent woke Piper from a shitty sleep.

Piper looked up at red from the low cot, her sweatshirts hood drooping in her eyes.

"I-I'm sorry, Red… My… My roommate kicked me out." Said Piper, between two mini yawns. Piper knew that it wasn't true. Larry had not kicked Piper out. He had simply confronted her and she had ran away.

"Well. I'm sorry to hear that… I'm glad you felt you could come here." Said Red, tying her white apron around her waist. "And as long as you're here, you might as well help me open up shop." She added, throwing an extra apron in Pipers direction.

Piper cleaned up the cot and tucked her duffle behind Reds desk, before heading out of the office to help open. Piper was turning on the lights when the house-phone rang on the wall of the kitchen entrance. Red walked to it, annoyed and mumbling curses in fast russian.

"Red's Diner, we are not taking orders until 8am-" Red started to answer but was cut off. Her face went white under her makeup and Piper rushed to her.

"Red, what is it?" She asked.

Red was winding the phone cord with her unoccupied hand, nervously. She seemed to be listening, and ignored Pipers question.

"I'll be right there." Red said, still looking like a ghost. She hung up the phone and looked at Piper.

"That was Nicky and Alex."

Pipers heart leaped and then plummeted at the mention of Alex's name. _She could call Red but not me?_

"W-why?" She asked, "What did they want?" Piper wanted to go with Red, who was already donning her plaid coat.

"Nicky is hurt. She needs a doctor." She removed her hairnet and hurried into her office to grab her purse.

"I'll come with you-" Said Piper, starting to take off her apron.

"Ohh no you don't." Said Red, pointing her finger in Pipers direction, a look of wisdom on her face. She looked as if she might know about the drama happening between her and Alex, but didn't mention it. Instead she said "I need a warm body here while I'm gone."

Piper felt her shoulders sag in disappointment while Red moved past her. "I'll let you know what's happened when I'm back." She said, over her shoulder as she left the diner.

 _ **Alex/POV**_

It was a long day to say the least. Nickys arm was broken (not dislocated) and they put her under in order to set the bone, and because of her drug record they monitored her while she was on heavy painkillers, meaning she had to stay most of the day. Red had been relieved when she had arrived at the girls apartment to find Nicky conscious and in her usual joking spirit, but was shocked to see that Alex was also quite battered.

Alex had explained in the waiting room that her and Nicky had gotten with the wrong group of people last night and that things had gone bad.

Red had looked doubtful that Alex was telling her the truth or at least the whole truth, but she didn't press her further.

When Nicky was finally released that afternoon, Red drove them both home.

"Red roll down my window I wanna stick my face out." Said Nicky, a little loopy.

Red rolled her eyes but complied, pitying the kid.

"Not too far out now, Nickles." She said, lovingly.

Nicky hung her head out the window, her big purple eyes lightly closed, and she breathed in the air all whimsical.

Alex leaned her head against the backseats passenger window and watched the overcast day blur past.

"Your little blonde girlfriend camped out in the Diner last night." Said Red out of nowhere.

Alex's head snapped to attention.

"Piper?"

Reds curls could be seen bobbing back and forth as she nodded her head while keeping her eyes on the road.

"Said her boyfriend kicked her out." She added. "Only had one bag with her, too. She must've left in a hurry. Even Nicky brought more than a duffle with her when she left her parents place."

Nicky looked at Red when her name was mentioned and smiled before sticking her head back outside.

"Why did she stay at the Diner? She has friends…" Alex wondered out loud. She thought of the missed calls and opened her phone. It was dead.

"The hell if I know." Said Red, "That cot is worse than sleeping on a bed of rock." She paused before saying, "Besides, Alex, I thought _you_ were her friend."

They turned into the apartment parking lot and Alex stared at her feet.

"I told her she could stay there as long as she needs." Said Red as she parked the car.

Nicky turned around to look at Alex at the same time as Red did so. They both waited expectantly.

Alex rolled her eyes and sighed, "Okay okay jesus. I'll call her."

"Good girl." Said Red, getting out of the car.

 _ **Piper/POV**_

Pipers phone rang.

She almost flung it out of her apron pocket to answer it.

 _Please be Alex._

"Hello?" She said, not caring about sounding desperate. She started walking out the kitchen's backdoor for privacy.

"Piper, what happened?" _Oh thank god, it was Alex._

"Red tells me you slept at the Diner." Alex said, concern in her voice.

"I got in this stupid fight with Larry." Piper sighed, just happy to hear Alex's voice. "I basically told him I didn't want him… Or to live with him? I don't know…" Piper scuffed her shoe on the ground as she trailed off.

"I'm sorry, Pipes." Alex said finally after a moment of silence. "I- I should have been there… I mean, I should have answered your calls." Alex seemed to be having trouble explaining what she felt guilty for.

"I was just too pissed at you…" Alex continued. "When I saw you… at the theater."

Piper smiled. _At least she cared enough to be pissed._

"That's fair." Said Piper, softly.

It started to drizzle and Piper tried to step more under the Diners tiny oning, glancing up at the darkening sky.

She heard Alex clear her throat before saying, "Hey listen, where are you staying tonight?" Her tone was friendly.

"Well, when I talked to Red on the phone today she said I could stay here another night…" Said Piper, trying to sound not too down about the idea. "It's not so bad, I guess." She added.

"Bullshit, I heard that cot is torture." Retorted Alex through the phone, and Piper imagined her raising her eyebrow when she said 'bullshit'.

"Stay here." Alex said the words softly.

Piper sucked in a breath. "I wouldn't want to be-"

"You're not." Alex interrupted, insistent.

Piper thought about it, but she knew she'd be driving to Alex's momentarily.

"You don't have to sleep wi- I mean you can have the couch-" Alex started to say.

"I'll do it." Piper interrupted, already heading back into the diner to get her bag from Red's office.

"I'll send you the address." Said Alex, a smile in her voice.

The line went dead and Piper caught Red, who had just returned from her hospital excursion, peering over her reading glasses from across the counter, a slight smile appeared on her face when she returned to writing something on a pad of paper.

 _ **Alex/POV**_

"Is she coming?" Asked a dizzy Nicky, who was laying on the couch like a dead person. "Should I vacate the couch?" She asked, her gaze following Alex, who was pacing around the house a little frantically, trying to clean up a bit.

"No. She won't be sleeping on the couch, Nicky." Said Alex, tossing a load of dirty clothes in the direction of the laundry basket.

"But you just sai-" Started Nicky.

"I was being polite. She'll sleep in my room." Said Alex, suddenly looking into her room from a distance, unsure of its state of cleanliness.

"You should at least pretend to offer her the couch…" Said Nicky, turning her attention back to the glowing television. "It's an amature move to so her you expect her to sleep with you." She added.

Alex looked at Nicky sideways, heading to the door, "I don't need your advice, miss pain meds!"

"Where are you going?" Hollered Nicky after Alex.

"I'm gonna wait for her outside, so she knows where to park. Jesus you're needy when you're hurt." Said Alex, wrestling her shoes on.

Pipers white Prius rounded the parking lot entrance and Alex waved to her over to where she was standing, saving her a space.

Piper got out of her car, and Alex was surprised to see Piper look the least put together she had ever seen her… and yet, it was the most beautiful she had ever been at the same time. Her hair was frizzy and sticking out at parts of her tiny ponytail… she had ugg boots on (which almost made Alex laugh, because it was dead summer) and leggings, with her cute little Reds Diner shirt on under her light grey sweatshirt. She pulled a duffle bag out of the passenger seat, that didn't even look like it was full, and finally turned to look at Alex directly.

That's when her jaw dropped and a loot of terror plagued her features.

"Oh my god, Alex!" She dropped her bag and ran to Alex. "What the hell happened to you?!" Pipers hand raised as if she was going to caress Alex's bruised cheek, but didn't want to hurt her.

"Piper, Piper, it's _okay._ " Alex tried to reassure her, touching her shoulder.

"Red told me that _Nicky_ was hurt, but not _you_ …" Her voice turning to an unbelieving whisper. She shook her head, searching Alex's face for answers she couldn't give her.

"I just got into a fight last night, it was nothing." Alex brushed it off, coolly.

"Who, Alex?" Piper demanded, a look of white hot rage replacing the concern on her face. "Who did this to you?"

Alex tried really hard not to smile or laugh at how cute it was when Piper went 'full hulk'.

"I didn't even know the people, Piper… It's just a few bruises, alright?" She took one of Pipers little fists in her hand and tried to smooth the grip it was holding.

Piper seemed to relax a little, and she leaned in to lightly touch Alex's cheek, like she had almost done before.

Her touch was cool and feather-like. Her eyes searched Alex's for any signs of pain. When she showed none, Piper cupped Alex's cheek in her hand. "I'm sorry this happened to you…" She said, little puddles of water gathering under her eyes.

Alex shook her head slightly. _This wasn't Piper's fault._

"I-I'm sorry for everything…" A sob escaped Piper's throat. Alex was suddenly overcome with the need to prove to Piper that she didn't blame her for any of it, and that she was forgiven for the past week.

"Hey, hey shhh…" Alex cooed, placing her hands on Piper's cheeks this time. "Stop that…" She put her forehead to Piper's, pulling her closer.

"I'm sorry… I was such a _bitch_ to you." Piper said, clear sincerity in her voice.

"I forgive you." Said Alex, smiling slightly. "I wasn't very nice either." She offered, tucking a stray blonde hair behind Piper's ear.

The rain was picking up now, turning into a summer thunderstorm.

"Can we go inside now?" Asked Piper, shivering a little.

Alex seemed to remember where they were and she straightened up, extended her arm on the direction of the apartment building, and said "Ladies first."

Piper ran back for her bag and they went inside.

 _ **Piper/POV**_

"Jesus…" Piper heard herself gasp when she saw Nicky on the couch. "Who did you guys pick a fight with last night? A biker gang?" She asked, walking to Nickys side.

Alex let out a short laugh at that and said, "Something like that." Before heading into the kitchen.

"Pretty ain't we?" Asked Nicky, looking up at Piper. She tried to wink but her left eye was already swollen shut so it looked like a weird squinty twitch instead.

"Do you want something to drink, Pipes?" Alex asked, opening a cabinet full of glasses.

"I'll have some." Said Nicky, staring at the TV again.

"You can't drink on your pain meds. Nice try though." Laughed Alex, " I admire your effort."

Nicky shrugged as if to say 'it was worth a shot'.

Piper shook her head, not feeling like drinking at the moment. "No thanks."

"Something to eat?" Alex asked, determined to offer her something.

"Alex I'm fine really." Piper insisted, walking to the kitchen. "You should really lay down…" She urged, reaching for Alex's hand just as Alex had reached for hers minutes ago outside.

Alex looked for a minute like she might protest, but finally relaxed and intertwined her fingers with Pipers. She really did look incredibly tired.

 _Give in._ Piper begged her mentally.

Alex let Piper lead her out of the kitchen, "Fiiiine." She sighed, following.

Piper led Alex to what she assumed was Alexs room. She based her guess on the large amounts of books and dark furniture.

"Your room?" Piper asked, turning back to Alex who was trailing her in the hallway.

"That's me." A hint of a smile appeared on Alex's face as she answered. She seemed to enjoy the fact that Piper had guessed correctly.

Piper continued into Alex's dimly lit room and untucked a corner of the duvet, on the side that looked the most lived in, where Piper assumed was Alexs regular sleeping side.

"Why do you have no frame?" Piper asked, examining the bed that was just a mattress stacked on top of a box-spring.

Alex leaned against the doorframe, watching Piper and removing her glasses. "Frames are squeaky…" She said to Piper, wondering if she'd catch her meaning.

Pipers cheeks flushed, and she looked at the duvet and said, "Oh."

Alex laughed and walked towards the bed. "What are you doing? Tucking me in?" She asked Piper, setting her glasses on the cluttered nightstand.

Piper turned toward Alex, looking at her fully. She was wearing PJ shorts and a loose Abbey Road t-shirt.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Piper asked, eyeing her bruises, and noticing larger ones on her arms. "These look like they hurt…" She caressed one of Alex's arms, right over a blotch of purple.

Alex smiled and took a step closer. "I'm fine, Pipes. Stop worrying, hm?"

Piper felt her heart quicken when Alex got closer, wanting to close the distance between them completely. She wanted to kiss Alex again… But she felt like she had lost the right because of the aftermath of their first kiss.

"You can sleep on the couch…" Said Alex, not sounding like she meant it in the slightest. Piper looked down at her feet, thinking.

"No… I mean…" Piper swallowed, gathering courage. "C-can I sleep with- can I sleep in here?"

Alex leaned her forehead to Pipers and laughed softly, "You don't have to ask…"

Piper felt Alex's lips touch hers gently, and she let her eyes close.

 _ **Aex/POV**_

A small noise escaped Piper's lips when Alex kissed her deeper. The sound encouraged Alex to hold Piper's cheek and gently walk her another step back, so that she collided with the edge of the bed.

There was a new fire in Piper's eyes when they caught Alexs. Piper let herself sit on the edge of the bed, like Alex had wanted her to.

She gripped Alex's t-shirt, pulling her to her once more and kissing her feverishly. Alex liked eager Piper. She held her thighs, spreading them a bit so she could fit between them as they kissed.

Alexs breathing picked up and she lifted Pipers shirt hem up over her blonde head and peeled it completely off. Piper tried to reach behind her and unclasp her bra, but it was a hard angle and she gritted her teeth in frustration.

"Shh, I got it." Assured Alex, kissing little kisses down Pipers neck and collarbone while she smoothly unhooked the clasp and let Pipers bra fall off her upper body. She continued to trail kisses down to Piper's chest, gently flicking her tongue over a nipple.

This evoked a gasp from Piper, who hadn't expected the sensation.

"Alex…" she heard Piper breathe.

"Oh _Jesus Christ_..." Someone exclaimed in the doorway. Alex looked, and saw that it was, of course, Nicky. She was covering her mouth with her non-broken arm had, and wearing a rather amused expression.

"Nicky, what?" Alex asked, feeling Piper reach for her shirt to cover herself.

"You could at least close the door…" Chuckled Nicky, turning away and shaking her head.

Alex smiled at the wide-eyed Piper and crawled up onto the bed, taking Piper's face in her hand and kissing her between giggles.

"Why should I?" Alex said on Piper's lips, still talking to Nicky. "You and Lorna-loca never bothered." This even made Piper laugh a little, and whisper "ew."

Alex tickled her nose to Pipers and whispered "Ew is right." Before continuing to kiss her.

Alex heard the door shut. The light from the hallway being cut off, the room was almost too dark to see.

 _Who needs to see?_ Alex thought, as she felt her way down Piper's stomach with her hand while they kissed, finally coming in contact with the little metal button of Pipers jeans.

Piper suddenly caught her breath and it made Alex look for her face before she undid her pants.

"Is this okay?" Alex whispered in the dark. Her eyes were adjusting to the dark and she thought she saw Piper's blonde head nod.

Sensing that Piper needed it, she kept her face close to hers, gently kissing her as she undid the button and small zipper.

Piper let out a small moan when Alex let her hand explore the outside of Pipers thin... _lace_ panties.

"Alex… _please_ …" Piper arched against the bed, and Alex kissed her neck gently, enjoying the begging.

"Mm?" She hummed in Pipers ear. "Please what?"

Alex felt liquid soak her fingers through the thin fabric.

"Someone's ready." Said Alex, teasingly.

"I am…" Piper whined.

Alex noticed Piper was shivering slightly. And rubbed her arm to warm her.

"Hey do you wanna get under the blanket..?" She asked her, pulling Pipers tight jeans off of her completely and tossing them to the floor.

 _ **Piper/POV**_

It felt good to finally be under the covers…fuck, all of it felt good. It was obvious that Alex knew what she was doing. The realization that Alex was more experienced than her suddenly made her more nervous.

"Come here…" said Alex, getting into the bed next to her. A rose tattooed arm pulled Piper closer.

Alex leaned on her side, half leaning over Piper who was laying on her back.

Piper could feel Alex studying her face in the dark, and she hoped her facial expression wasn't showing her apprehension.

But Alex must have noticed because she leaned down to touch her lips to Pipers gently. An action that had yet to fail in soothing Piper. The kiss held something different than it had previously. It made Piper shiver and reach a hand into Alex's black hair, silently begging.

"Tell me what you want.." Alex breathed, her face still close to Pipers.

Piper took Alex's hand, which had been tracing circles on Piper's tummy, and pushed it slowly underneath her panties.

 _ **Alex/POV**_

Piper shyly pushing Alex's hand down her body, was one of the hottest things Alex had yet to experience and they hadn't even fucked yet. She struggled to stay focused.

"Piper that's showing not telling… but fuck it's just as hot…" She said in Piper's ear, letting her fingers slip through Pipers wet pussy lips.

Alex watched when Piper moaned and her eyes shut in pleasure. She let her thumb travel up a ways brush Piper's little bundle of nerves. At this, Piper fisted Alex's t-shirt tightly in her hands, whimpering and arching her back. She was trying to gain some more friction.

Alex bit her lip, Pipers reactions turning her on. She watched Piper's face as she slowly rubbed her clit.

Alex felt electricity run through her body, and the noises coming Pipers open mouth were driving her crazy. She smiled a little when she thought of Nicky in the next room, who could probably hear.

 _Payback's a bitch._

Piper was coming undone underneath her touch, and Alex decided to take this further. She kissed Piper again, who was breathing hard now, and tugged off the restricting and soaked panties.

Piper tried to help her out by kicking them off completely, leaving them somewhere in the bed under the duvet.

"Alex… Please…" She begged her, between kisses. "Touch me."

Alex felt her own lips curl into a teasing smirk on Piper's lips as she said, "I am touching you."

Piper let out a whiny giggle, and ran her hands underneath Alex's shirt, caressing her sides.

"No…" Piper tried to raise her hips, desperately. "More…" She begged.

Alex's eyes almost rolled to the back of her head when the words left Piper's lips and she felt her fingers slicken with more of Pipers cum.

Suddenly not able to continue this teasing, which was driving _herself_ just as crazy as it was Piper, Alex slid a finger into Piper's tight little hole, gently.

Pipers whole body was taught in that instant, her small fingernails dug into Alex's waist where they had been resting.

"Ohhh fuck…" Piper moaned loudly, and Alex knew she'd probably only get louder as they got further, so she kept her face near Pipers, ready to kiss her. But she wanted confirmation first.

"You like that, hm?" She asked Piper, breathily, slowly fingering her.

Alex thought for a moment that Piper wouldn't answer, her body seeming to be in some far away detatched place, but she finally heard a weak, "Y-yes… Please don't stop?" Piper's grey blue eyes fought to open, and look at Alex.

Alex had half a mind to stop completely, just to torture this amazing creature further, but the look in her eyes made her give her whatever she asked of her… And maybe a little more. She quickened her pace a little bit, kissing Piper deeply as she did so.

Pipers pussy tightened on Alex's fingers, and Alex felt the urge to be on top of the girl. She wanted to feel her writhing in pleasure underneath her. She moved over Piper, trying not to disturb what she was working on, but Piper noticed the change in position and she smiled, running her hands up Alex's back.

"I like you here…" She confessed, her cheeks pink.

Alex arched an eyebrow in response, and made a point of pushing her finger deeper into Piper. "And here…?" She asked.

"E-especially there- _fuck_." Gasped Piper, her eyes squeezing shut again. Alex weaved her free hand into Pipers light hair as she rolled her hips with Pipers, putting pressure just where she needed it.

The hands the had been on Alex's back travelled to the back of her neck, pulling her head to Pipers. Alex thought Piper was going to kiss her, but the adorable girl didn't seem to be able to focus on doing so. Alex leaned her forehead to Pipers, having a moment of disbelief at the events taking place.

Alex added another finger, and watched Piper carefully, not wanting to hurt her.

A whimper escaped Piper's lips. Alex had caught her by surprise, and her body was struggling to adjust.

"Are-" Alex felt her voice drop to a huskier tone and she tried to clear her throat. "Are you okay, Pipes?" She felt herself wishing she had removed her shorts earlier, wanting to feel ever inch of Piper without any barriers, but that would have to wait…

"I'm close…" Piper gasped as Alex curled her fingers slightly inside her tightening pussy. Alex moved down and kissed Pipers neck softly, pushing her fingers in a little deeper each time.

"C'mon, I want you to cum." She mumbled quietly on Piper's soft skin. The words did something to Piper, and she arched, a cry about to leave her, but it was held as Alex slid her fingers in and out of her a little quicker.

Alex was struck with how fucking beautiful Piper was in that moment.

Piper tumbled over the edge, and crashed back onto the bed, gasping and shaking, riding the waves of her orgasm out until the end.

Alex marvelled at her work, and tucked a stray hair of Pipers behind her ear.

Piper's chest heaved, trying to catch up with her heart and Alex felt her body slowly relax beneath her own.

"Was that so bad?" Alex asked, not really sure how else to talk about what they had just done.

"Mmmm…" Piper regained consciousness and her eyes fluttered open. "The worst."

There were two loud thuds against the wall, and a muffled shout from Nicky. "Are you two about done? Some of us need our beauty sleep!"

Pipers eyes widened before she laughed bashfully, pulling the also giggling Alex under the covers with her.


	7. Is That Your Question?

**For those of you who haven't given up on me, I'm sorry I haven't updated in literally months. I've been busy with life and shit. I hope this chapter makes up for my long absence! I love you all so much.**

 **Xox mads**

Piper/POV

Alex had woken Piper up, but Piper wasn't sure how to let her know she had done so. Every way she considered saying it sounded completely embarrassing.

"I'm sorry about Nicky." Said Alex, snuggling closer to Piper under the covers, their faces inches apart.

Piper put her arm over Alex's waist and stared back at dark green eyes. Both of them still had a small smile on their lips, the aftermath of their fit of laughter.

"It's okay." Said Piper, shrugging slightly, "It's only fair… You live here too."

"Oh it's more than fair." Said Alex, laughing. "That bitch brings more women home than John Mayer." Alex said as she brought her hand up to fix her glasses that weren't there.

Piper saw the opportunity to tease her.

"And you don't?" She asked, trying to raise her eyebrow the same way that Alex was known to do.

Alex looked at her, kind of surprised and amused. A slow smirk stretched her face. "Why? Do I strike you as some sort of player, Pipes?" She giggled, pulling Piper closer by her waist.

Piper bit her lip and her cheeks flushed.

"Well… With the way you touched me just now… I'd be surprised if you weren't experienced." She tried to explain. She felt Alex's eyes on her, just as real as Alex's hands were on her. But she couldn't meet their smoldering gaze.

There was a brief but intense silence as Piper waited for Alex's response.

And then there was a whisper. "If you liked what I did with my fingers…" Piper could feel Alex's lips barely touching her ear as she talked. "Just imagine what I could do with my tongue."

Piper tried not to cum right then and there, but the words sent shivers down her spine to places inside her. She closed her eyes as Alex's words sunk in.

"A-as much as I want that…" Piper swallowed, trying to speak properly. "I was hoping I'd get to…" She met Alex's gaze, and said, "...Do you."

Alex seemed incredibly amused at Piper's shyness, her smile only growing. She leaned her head closer to Pipers, an action that was becoming routine for them, and tickled Piper's nose gently with her own.

"What's stopping you then?" Alex's voice was soft, endearing. Piper felt Alex's hand find her own underneath the duvet, and their fingers wove together. Encouraged by Alex's closeness Piper decided to go on.

"Well… What- what if I'm not good at it?" She stuttered, her cheeks hot.

Alex looked taken aback and looked at Piper questioningly. "You mean you haven't…?" She didn't finish the sentence. "Ever?" She teased.

"Not… Not really… No." Said Piper, suddenly completely embarrassed. She looked down.

But Alex held her burning cheek and caressed it with a cool thumb and offered a teasing and loving smile. "Listen… You don't have to do anything…" She said, trying to catch Pipers downcast eyes. "At least nothing you don't want to do…" She added.

That made Piper look up at her. "No, no- I want to I just-"

"In that case," Interrupted Alex. "I can coach you through it if you want." She raised a perfect eyebrow.

Piper felt herself suck in a breath. Fuck Alex was hot.

Piper used the hand that wasn't locked in Alex's to try and lift the Abbey Road shirt over Alex's head. Alex snickered a little and threw the shirt away. "Is that a yes?" She asked, her lips grazing Pipers lightly as she spoke.

"Yes." Piper answered, breathily, before kissing Alex deeply.

Alex carefully rolled over so that Piper was on top of her instead. Piper was a little bewildered by the new position, as if she wasn't sure what to do with her new found power. Alex put her hands on Piper's hips, guiding her like she had promised. Piper, who wasn't entirely inexperienced when it came to sex in itself, rolled her hips against Alexs. She was pleased when the motion made Alex open her mouth slightly and her grip on Piper's hips tightened momentarily.

"Mmm…" Alex's eyes closed, "Do that again." Alex instructed, and Piper obeyed, grinding herself a little harder against Alex this time.

The friction must have been too much for Alex because she suddenly sat up and took Piper's face in her hands, kissing her fiercely. Piper scooted up onto Alex's lap as they kissed. They were a frenzied tangle of hands, hair and flying clothes.

"Here-" Alex gasped as she guided Piper's hand low and between their bodies. But she couldn't finish telling Piper what to do, because she was already doing it. Piper watched Alex bite her lip and shake under her slightly as she rubbed where Alex had guided her hand.

"Fuck… Piper." Alex said, her head rolling back a little in pleasure.

Piper felt herself smile a little in satisfaction. I'm doing this to her.

"Is this good?" She asked, stupidly, continuing to tease the bundle of nerves between Alex's legs.

Alex's head snapped back up and she exhaled a little in amused disbelief. "Oh god, you have no idea…" She kissed Piper again, and returned her hand to Piper's, guiding it further down.

Pipers fingers felt the slipperiness of Alex's pussy and let one slide in slowly.

The two were still perched upright, their hands between each others bodies, but their heads leaned against each others, so close.

Piper was shocked to hear Alex let out a moan. It wasn't something she'd done yet… All of Alex's noises had been breathy or whispers, but this was louder.

Alex's eyes opened, seemingly surprised by the noise also, and her eyes met Piper's.

"A-are you sure you haven't…" Alex's voice was deep and husky as she tried to speak clearly with Piper's fingers inside her "...Done this before?"

Piper smiled in the dark, and kissed Alex's ear, before whispering, "Only to myself."

She heard Alex exhale sharply at her words, "Fuck that's hot…"

She let herself fall back onto the pillow, but she kept a hand behind Piper's neck, pulling her down with her.

This position made it easier for Piper to ease her fingers in and out of Alex and she fingered her a little deeper.

A desperate expression crossed Alex's face as she was tortured. Piper was suddenly worried she was hurting her.

"Alex?" She asked, stopping. One of Alex's arms was stretched across the bed, fisting and twisting the duvet.

"No, no… Don't stop." Alex fought to open her eyes and gain clarity enough to encourage Piper.

"C-can you curl your fingers a little?" She managed to ask finally, her breathing shallow.

Piper did as she was told and she immediately felt Alex's core tighten and relax in anticipation. She had hit something. She pulled her fingers in and out of Alex, curling them slightly every time she pushed them in.

"Like that?" Piper asked, knowing she was doing something right based on Alex's reaction.

"Faster…" Alex urged, her back arching. "Please." She was almost begging.

Piper kissed Alex and picked up the pace, feeling Alex's pleasure moan vibrate against her lips.

Incomprehensible words and sounds broke from Alex's lips as Piper kept it up, kissing Alex's neck and shoulders soothingly. It was getting harder and harder to push both fingers in, but Piper didn't stop, knowing Alex was getting close to the edge.

"Yes, yes… fuck!" Alex's breathing suddenly hitched, and Piper felt her tremble beneath her.

"Let go, cum for me…" Piper whispered, placing a kiss on Alex's ear again.

That did it. Alex's whole body tensed and relaxed repeatedly as Piper slowed her movements, but provided friction as Alex rode out her orgasm.

Once Alex had gone limp beneath her, Piper removed her hand from between them and laid her head on Alex's still heaving chest.

She listened to Alex's heartbeat slowly calm down, and she felt her own match.

A hand run itself through Pipers messy yellow hair, gently. And then Alex's voice broke the soft silence with, "I think you're a little liar."

The sentence startled Piper. "What do you mean?" She asked, looking up at Alex.

"There's no way you're that good at that without… practice." Alex laughed weakly.

Piper rolled her eyes and moved up Alex's body to touch her lips to hers. "I couldn't have done it without your coaching." Alex's mouth curled into a smile on Piper's lips and Piper pulled the duvet back over them, the chill of the stormy night finally phasing her.

Alex/POV

Alex has was beside herself with amazement. Piper continued to surprise her. She hadn't expected Piper to take any control in the bedroom, or in her love life for that matter… but here she was, a warm little bundle in Alex's arms beneath the duvet, sound asleep. The past two days had been such a hurricane for Alex that she was trying to sort out the order of events that finally landed her and Piper in this blissful nothingness. She smiled sleepily, feeling Piper breathe rhythmically, and decided not to care how they got to this place. She just wanted to enjoy it, and sleep.

She woke up to Piper giggling, half her face muffled by a pillow, leaving only her eyes to be seen above it's fluffiness.

A wave of fear washed over Alex as she considered that Piper might be laughing because she thought last night was a joke.

"Did you know you talk in your sleep?" Piper asked, her voice muffled by the pillow.

Alex let herself relax at Piper's explanation. She knew she talked in her sleep because others she had slept with or lived in close quarters with had told her. Usually it wasn't important shit, mostly jibberish.

"Oh nooooo.." She threw her hand up against her forehead in mock embarrassment. "Did I spew my deepest darkest secrets?" She spared a look in Pipers direction, who had ditched the pillow and her gorgeous sleepy smile was completely visible. Alex reached a hand out to her lazily and silently trying to ask her to come closer. Piper complied and laid down next to Alex, facing her.

"Unless your deepest darkest secret is that a barrel of monkeys has escaped and you can't find them in the corn maze… no." Giggled Piper, letting a hand trace its fingers on Alex's skin gently. Her tone was loving and it reassured Alex that she hadn't imagined last night, and that the feelings they shared were still present.

"Wow, I haven't heard that one before…" Yawned Alex, pulling Piper into her embrace. She felt Piper tuck her pretty little blonde head under her chin and her arms circled Alex's waist.

"Mmm.." Alex sighed. "Can we stay like this all day?" She made sure the duvet covered Piper's goosebumpy shoulders.

"Yes please." Piper said, kissing Alex's shoulder and giving her waist a squeeze.

"Do you have to work tod-" Alex started to ask.

"I already called in to Reds." Piper answered, knowing what Alex was getting at.

"Oh god are you a morning person?" Alex spit the words 'morning person' as if they were a dirty curse, and ruffled Piper's hair.

Piper looked up at Alex and frowned, patting her dishevelled hair. "Well… I don't hate mornings." She said, a bit miffed. She was quite cute when grumpy.

Alex rolled her eyes. Usually she made a point not to take morning people to bed more than once but she had a feeling it was a small price to pay when it came to Piper.

Alex reached for her glasses clumsily that were sitting on her nightstand and put them on so that she could see Piper. The struggle was worth it when she saw Piper non-blurry and in all her morning glory.

"I like your sexy librarian look…" Smiled Piper, dropping the fake grumpiness. She looked down shyly after she said it, which was funny because they had just fucked all night but she was shy to admit she liked the glasses.

"The better to see you with my dear." Said Alex, reaching out for Piper and sort of stretching her arms sleepily at the same time. She noticed that Piper had little dimples when she smiled really big. Alex could imagine Piper as a kid, with one of those big goofy toothy smiles. They image made her happy and she decided to hold onto it for a rainy day.

Piper giggled and rolled into Alex's arms once again.

The two were inseparable and insatiable. Alex would visit Piper at Red's at least twice a day when she worked. Red had to start locking her office again what with Lorna and Nicky and now Piper and Alex constantly looking for places to be alone.

"Get a room." Joked Gina, when she caught the two kissing. Alex was standing while Piper sat on a high barstool, her legs around Alex's waist in a 'not appropriate for a family style diner' kind of way.

"But not my office." Added Red, who was busying herself behind the counter.

Piper blushed and she whispered in Alex's ear, "Do you think she knows what you did to me on her desk?"

Alex playfully slapped Piper's thigh and snorted, "Shhhh Pipes," as she laughed.

"Yes I know." Red said, not looking up from the plates she was arranging nicely.

"Jesus, she has ears like an elephant." Chuckled Alex, kissing Piper's shoulder.

Just then a buzzing sounded from within Pipers person. Alex saw the glow of her cellphone's screen shine from underneath the white fabric.

They both knew who it was and exchanged a look. Larry and Polly had been taking turns calling and texting Piper over the course of the last three days. Piper had answered a few times, and from what Alex could gather, Piper's ex and her so called best friend were trying to bully her into re-entering her old life.

Alex inhaled and took a step away from the stool Piper was sitting on. She had been doing her best not to get involved with Piper's friend drama… and she had been trying not to let her judgement show whenever Piper defended them against her. But it was getting harder and harder to betray her true feelings about Larry and Polly.

"You better take that." She said to Piper, turning towards the door. "I'll see you tonight. 9 o'clock?" She was talking about when she was supposed to pick up Piper from work.

Piper nodded, a shadow of something sad resting on her face. She had taken the phone from her pocket and was staring at the glow with disdain.

Piper/POV

Alex had said "You better take that." In a flat matter-of-fact voice, and Piper had noticed. They had been carefully tip-toeing around the Larry situation. Piper could feel Alex's judgement when it came to her friends and family, and she weirdly wanted to defend them… yet she agreed with Alex… Her friends didn't understand her and they were controlling as fuck. But they were still her friends, and Piper was nothing if not loyal.

When Alex had left Piper hit the 'decline' button but opened her texts. She texted who had called her. This time it had been Larry, not Polly.

I can't talk rn, I'm at work. What do you need?

Piper sighed, wishing there wasn't anyone hurt in her wake, and took a sip of her coffee. Her phone buzzed.

We need to talk, Piper. And if you're not coming back you need to get your stuff out of my apartment.

Piper read Larry's text, and as she did she could hear his voice saying the words in her head in his slow and frustrating tone. Of course she knew she had to get her stuff, she had been thinking about it constantly. She missed her clothes. Alex had been letting her borrow some of her clothes, but they were a little too big on Piper, and most of them lacked color. She typed:

I know. When can I come by and get my things?

"Your break is over in two minutes, kid." Said Red, before disappearing into the kitchen. Piper nodded. She was actually looking forward to working so that she could try to get her mind off the mess that was her life currently. Her phone buzzed a final time.

Tomorrow night. Thanks.

The sarcasm and hostility were apparent in Larry's text, but she decided not to engage it.

Piper spent the rest of the work day trying not to panic about moving out of Larrys. She kept thinking about how much shit were in her boxes, and that she would need to rent out a storage unit if she wanted to crash at Alex's still. There wasn't a lot of room in her and Nicky's apartment as it was… And she didn't want to assume that she could just stay there.

Alex/POV

Little did Piper know that Alex had her own plan when it came to where Piper would be living. After she left the diner she went to find Nicky at the auto shop.

"I already know what you're gonna ask." Came a muffled voice from underneath a dusty Suburban. Nicky's legs could be seen sticking out from under the front of the car, her body lifted a couple inches off the ground by the rolly-thing that made sliding beneath the car easier.

"You do?" Alex asked, after glancing around the garage to see if anyone was around to object to her taking a seat in one of the lawn chairs near Nicky's car. There were distant voices but the coast seemed clear enough so she allowed herself to sit down.

Nicky coughed and slid out from under the car. Her hair was an even more poofy mess than usual from laying on the garage floor. She sat up with some effort and gave Alex a look.

"Vause, I know you." She smiled, twirling the wrench she had in her hand. "You wanna know if we can keep Chapman." She said, sounding like she was a mom trying to tell her kid they couldn't keep a stray dog.

Alex looked down, her cheeks a little warm. She didn't expect Nicky to be calling her out on her intention.

"I didn't know you knew me so well." Alex muttered.

Nicky got to her feet only to lean her butt against the hood of the car. A small grunt left her lips as if she was offended. "I've only been living with you for like a year and a half, man." She said, tossing the wrench into a toolbox that rested near her feet.

Alex ran a hand through her hair and thought for a minute. She couldn't tell if Nicky was opposed to the idea or not.

"So… Piper can't stay with us?" Alex asked, meeting Nicky's eye.

Nicky pursed her lips and paced a little. Her brow furrowed in thought.

Alex for the life of her couldn't figure out why Nicky was hesitant. The three of them had all gotten along the past few days, and honestly, Alex had thought that Nicky's answer would have been a straight yes…

"I thought you liked Piper, Nicky." Said Alex, not trying to hide her confusion.

"I do like her." Sighed Nicky, a strange look on her face. The closest word Alex could use to describe the expression on Nicky's face would be concern. But it was new, she hadn't seen her wear it before so she was unsure.

"I'm just worried about how much you like her." Nicky finally said. "She's got you whipped." Nicky said the words like a joke but she didn't smile. She was trying to get her point across. "And Chapman seems like the kind of girl that unintentionally wrecks people…Out of love." She smiled at the strangeness of the sentence (but it looked more like a wince) and waited for Alex's reaction.

Alex smiled and shook her head. "I'm an adult, Nicky. I can protect my own heart."

Nicky shrugged when Alex said this and whipped her grease streaked hands on her pants nonchalantly.

"Seriously, I appreciate you looking out for me…" Alex paused, not sure what to say next. Her brow furrowed and she stood up. "But I know what the risks are…"

Nicky looked at Alex slightly disbelieving before saying, "Do you?"

Alex nodded before saying: "I do… She does have the potential to really fuck me up, but she also has the potential to make my life not shit…" She laughed a little nervously, "And what idiot would pass up a chance to find out if they could be happy with someone?" Alex finished.

Nicky's eyes squinted a bit before she broke eye contact. Alex realized that what she had said may apply to where Nicky was at in her love life as well.

"Look Nicks, I'm not asking the girl to marry me. I'm just asking her to live with us." Alex added, knowing she had gotten a little intense.

"Alright, alright." Nicky laughed and bent down to pick up another tool from the box. "We can keep her."

Alex tried to resist pumping her fist in victory but it couldn't be done. A triumphant "Yessss" hissed through her teeth.

"But you're gonna have to walk her and feed her." Said Nicky, jokingly wagging a screwdriver in Alex's direction. "Those rich chicks can't sit still, they need a lot of… entertainment."

Alex rolled her eyes and checked her phone, excited to tell Piper the good news. She was surprised to see there was already a text from Piper waiting for her on the screen. It read:

Hey i need a favor…

Maybe she was going to ask if she could move in and Alex wouldn't even get to offer. Alex typed out the word "anything" without thinking but erased it quickly and replaced it with something less intense.

Sure, what is it?

Alex sent the text and thanked Nicky who was already back under the car.

"Yeah, yeah, you're welcome." Nicky grunted in response to Alex, who was already out of the garage headed to her car. Her phone buzzed in her hand.

Talk about it after work?

Pipers text kind of sent a nervous jolt through Alex. Anything closely resembling the words "we need to talk" are torture. But she sighed and sent:

Okay sounds good

Piper/POV

When Piper saw Alex pull into the vacant parking lot outside the diner, she walked wearily towards the edge of the sidewalk to meet the oncoming car.

"Long day, kiddo?" Alex asked, reaching across the passenger seat to open the door for Piper. There was a bit of amusement in Alex's voice, as usual.

"Is it that obvious?" Said Piper, huffing as she plopped into the seat. I must look pretty ragged.

"You look a little…" Alex struggled to find the right words, her hand touching her lips, possibly hiding a smile. "Worse for wear." She managed to finish without letting laughter escaped her.

Piper tried not to take offense and pulled down her windshield visor to grumpily examine herself in the mini mirror.

"Oh Jesus." She sighed at the sight of her reflection. Her bunned hair had gone all whispy around her ears, she had butter stains on her clothes, and her makeup was smudgy under her eyes.

Alex chuckled and patted Piper on the shoulder gently as they pulled away from the dinner.

"You still look lovely to me, pumpkin." She said, teasingly.

"Stuff it, Alex." Grumbled Piper, licking her finger and rubbing underneath her eyes to remove the black residue.

"Okay, not in the mood for banter. Got it." Alex said, her eyes focusing on the road as they turned onto the Main Street.

Piper sighed. She hadn't meant to snap at her. She had just had a shitty day, and wasn't looking forward to talking about Larry.

She let her hand travel across the seat and hold Alex's non-busy hand. She felt Alex's fingers close around her own.

Alex kept her eyes straight ahead but a smile turned her lips and Piper knew they were okay. They made it as far as a mile before Alex broke the charged silence.

"What is it, Piper?" Her tone was understanding but a tad bit amused. Piper looked at her, shocked. She had just been wondering exactly how to bring up Larry.

"Come on," Alex laughed, seeing Pipers dumbfounded look. "I can hear you thinking from here. It's like this crunching noise." She caressed Piper's hand with her thumb, as if she was reassuring her that she was only joking, and was genuinely curious what was going on.

Piper stared at their hands and her brow furrowed as she thought about what to say.

"I have to get my things from Larry's place." She let the words settle in the empty air between them, before adding, "And I'll put the stuff in a storage unit. But I can't fit it all in my car and I was hoping- I don't know, maybe you would help me..?" Her words were getting quieter as she asked, but she knew Alex could hear her. She looked up at Alex finally, curious what expression she'd be wearing. Alex seemed like she was about to say something but Piper was unable to guess if it would be bad or good.

Piper felt the car lurch a bit suddenly onto the shoulder of the road. Loose gravel crunched under the tires as they transferred from the firm pavement.

"Listen Piper…" Alex began, turning the key, making the car fall silent. The absence of the rumbling noise of the car made Piper feel a little uneasy and awkward. It was just their voices now. She was afraid of Alex's answer. What if she wouldn't help her?

"If you want to move your stuff I will of course help you." Alex said, squeezing the hand of Pipers that she was still holding in her own. Piper breathed a sigh of relief. But Alex continued: "But you could… put it in my place if you want- I mean you wouldn't have to get a storage unit." Piper was confused.

"What like… move in?" She asked, making Alex look up from their hands.

Alex seemed suddenly bashful, and unsure of her next words. It was out of character for her. Piper kind of liked it.

"I mean… if you wanted to. Yeah…" answered Alex.

Piper felt a smile push up her cheeks but for once words failed her.

Her silence must have made Alex nervous because she looked away and stared at the steering wheel.

"I know Nicky and I aren't the best choice of roommates but we would-" Piper pressed a finger to Alex's lips gently and silently shushing her. Alex met her gaze, her eyes full of love.

"Is that your question?" Piper asked, her voice not louder than a whisper. "You're asking me to live with you?"

Alex nodded. "I am."

Piper smiled in the dark of the car and let her finger leave Alex's mouth.

"I'd love to, Alex." She blinked a couple times, thinking. "If it's okay with Nicky too though.." she added.

"I asked her today already. She's cool with it." Alex's voice was pitchy with relief and excitement.

Piper felt her heart flutter in her chest. Alex had been planning to ask me to stay with her even before I asked for help with my things.

"When do we get your things?" Asked Alex, reaching to tuck an escapee hair behind Piper's ear.

"Tomorrow?" Piper felt her threat thicken with emotion.

"The sooner the better right?" Said Alex, leaning towards Piper a ways. "Rip that soggy Larry band-aid off quickly." She joked, mad Piper leaned forward to press her lips to Alex's gently. "I've never- mm -been good with band-aids." Piper managed to say in their kiss. "I'll help." Alex said, and it sounded like a promise.

"Let's go home." She said, turning the key to start the car.

Our home, thought Piper.


	8. Taking Steps Is Easy

Chapter 8

Alex/POV

"Is this going to be weird?" Asked Piper for like the fifth time that morning. She was drinking her third cup of coffee, and had reached the jittery stage. Alex, not a morning person, was following close behind as they left the apartment, but she had put her dark hair up messily and skipped putting on make-up. She jingled her keys in her hand as she descended the stairs and rolled her eyes in response to Piper's question.

"Yes, Pipes, it's probably going to be 'weird'", sighed Alex. She almost raised her hands to do air quotes but she wasn't awake enough.

Piper writhed in her seat uncomfortably after Alex had started the car. Alex decided to ignore Piper's anguish and focus on doing what she had promised to do… Which was to help rip off this metaphorical band-aid. They drove in silence before they were stopped by a red light. It was at the light that Alex noticed Piper was leaning her head against the window, and wringing her hands nervously.

"Piper… Hey…" Alex said, getting her attention and reaching to hold one of Piper's busy hands. "No matter how this goes… At least I'll be there too." Alex smiled, knowing her pep talk was kind of mute, but she knew Piper wouldn't mind. She had to understand that Alex was tired. They didn't sleep much these days, their nights were fast and full of lust. Morning came quicker and earlier than ever.

"Okay sleepy." Said Piper, gently patting Alex's cheek as she yawned.

When they pulled into Larry's driveway Piper turned to Alex. "You don't have to do this." She blurted, but her eyes were terrified and Alex felt as if they were silently begging her to not back out.

"Come on, I promise to behave." She said, giving Piper a slightly ironic wink. Piper laughed, but it was a short breathy thing that didn't carry itself far from her lips. Something in Pipers expression still held anxiety. Alex knew She would have to be the one to get this show on the road. With an automatic click Alex popped the car door open and stepped out in from of the car, motioning for Piper to do the same.

Alex turned around to see the infamous Larry, leaning against the doorframe casually. Alex tried not to jump in surprised, because she hadn't heard the door open.

Alex gave him a wave, and said "Hey." She felt Piper walk up beside her.

Larry seemed to ignore Alex entirely and instead addressed Piper. "You brought the movie theater girl?" Alex stiffened at his tone.

A lot's changed since that movie night, bud.

Piper closed the distance between her and Larry a bit by stepping forward and slightly gesturing towards Alex with her left arm, "Larry, meet my uhh-" Piper looked at Alex briefly, "...My friend Alex." Alex felt herself shake her head slightly, and contained her urge to laugh. Piper choking on the word friend when talking about her is something she would later replay in her mind for amusement. She met Larry's grumpy gaze, after feeling his eyes on her when Piper gestured towards her.

Piper cleared her throat and continued, "Alex, meet Larry." And she awkwardly gestured towards Larry.

Alex struggled within herself to not make this worse for Piper by saying something rude. So she managed a only somewhat sarcastic, "Pleasure."

Larry didn't have the same composure and instead ignored the greeting and turned around to open the door for Piper.

Alex avoided eye contact with Larry as she passed him and entered the house, but she couldn't help but smirk at his apparent discomfort. We are exactly what you suspect we are, buddy.

"What the fuck is this?" Piper said, annoyed, at the sight of her belongings stuffed into garbage bags. She tore at the opening of one of the bags a bit frantic and Larry scratched the back of his neck and answered, matter-of-factly, "Well it's your stuff… I-I packed it up for you, and I washed it all for you."

Alex held back laughter, imagining that if steam could puff from Piper's ears is would. There was a moment of awkward silence as Piper examined a pair of pink underwear.

"A thank you would be nice…" Said Larry, a little arrogantly.

Piper looked at him scornfully. "Larry these were white before! Did you separate the clothes by color or just throw them all in the same load?" She said it as if it was the most horrendous notion. Larry squinted at the underwear being held up. "Those look white to me." He concluded, shrugging.

Pipers cheeks turned a shade of red that scared Alex a bit and she decided to intervene before these two people hurt each other more.

"Alright alright, let's calm down…" Alex said, placing a hand at the small of Piper's back, and taking the now pink undies in her other hand, and lightly tossing them back into the pile of clothing.

Larry stiffened when Alex did that, and she knew he didn't enjoy seeing how comfortable Alex and Piper seemed to be with each other. Alex, again, held back a smile.

Piper seemed to cool down under Alex's touch and the steam coming from her ears slowly evaporated.

"Okay. Did I leave anything else?" Piper asked, picking up one of the trash bags.

"Your toaster… but I think it's broken." Said Larry, to Pipers back as she exited the front door. Alex didn't need to see Piper's reaction to this. She knew very well that Piper was rolling her eyes as she responded with a curt "Keep it."

Alex picked up two of the other bags, one of which Larry had been reaching for himself, and followed Piper back to the car.

They passed each other briefly and Alex hissed "Calm down, keep it together, you're doing good." To which Piper didn't respond. She just walked back into the house and grabbed the last thing. It was an actual box of her things this time, stuff that couldn't be easily bagged. She reemerged with the box of books, a straightening iron and some candles. Alex sighed, knowing the two would probably need a proper goodbye if things were going to end civil, and she didn't want to watch it happen so she passed Larry who had reclaimed his position on the porch and wandered to the kitchen, found the ancient toaster that had to have been Pipers, patted it fondly as she unplugged it, and decided to ask Piper the story that most definitely had to be behind the toaster. She suspected it was some stupid nostalgic reason Piper had for keeping such a piece of junk.

Alex walked passed the couple again, toaster under her arm.

"I'll be in the car." She said to Piper, who nodded.

Piper and Larry exchanged some awkward last words and a pathetic half hearted hug before Piper turned to face Alex and walk to the car.

Alex's heart broke when she saw a tear trickle down Pipers cheek.

Something must be done to stop this.

"You know, I'm dying to know the toaster story." Said Alex, trying to lighten the mood as they pulled out of the driveway.

Piper laughed through her tears, and after wiping her nose with her sleeve began to tell Alex all about her toaster.


End file.
